PRINCETON,  N.J.  ' 


Purchased  by  the  Hammill  Missionary  Fund. 


DT  11   .J73  1892 
Johnston,  James, 
Missionary  landscapes  in  th 
dark  continent 


'                   Digitized  by 

the  Internet  Archive 

in  2015 

https://archive.org/details/missionarylandscOOjohn_0 


MISSIONARY  LANDSCAPES 

IN  THE 

DARK  CONTINENT 


BY 

REV.  JAMES  "^HNSTON,  A.T.S. 

AUTHOR   OF  "missionary  POINTS  AND  MCTURES,"  ETC. 


NEW  YORK 
ANSON  D.  F.  RANDOLPH  &  COMPANY 
182  FIFTH  AVENUE 


Copyright,  1892,  by 
Anson  D.  F.  Randolph  &  Company. 
(Incorporated). 


PRESS  OF 
EDWARD  O.  JENKINS'  SON 
NEW  YORK 


PREFACE. 


In  the  present  volume  the  author  has  sketch- 
ed in  outline  a  few  of  the  notably  fascinating 
African  spheres  where  the  missionary  vanguards 
have  established  their  outposts.  The  triumphs 
achieved  by  these  spiritual  pioneers  merit  wide 
and  generous  appreciation  in  all  lands.  Against 
the  two  oppressive  shadows  of  native  life  in 
Africa  :  heathenism  and  slavery,  they  have  un- 
swervingly measured  their  strength,  prowess, 
and  Christian  chivalry.  Plunging  into  pathless 
wilds,  grappling  with  the  densest  ignorance, 
combating  the  most  degrading  forms  of  idol- 
atry, and  steadfastly  resisting  the  horrors  of 
tribal  savagery,  these  knight-errants  of  heaven 
have  placed  the  feet  of  Africa's  dusky  children 
upon 

.  .  .  .  "  The  great  world's  altar-stairs. 
That  slope  through  darkness  up  to  God." 

(3) 


4 


Pre/ace. 


To  the  missionary's  self-abnegating  and  pro- 
longed toils  living  monuments  bear  eloquent 
testimony. 

His  vocation  no  longer  calls  for  an  apology 
to  the  world.  The  missionary  has  translated 
the  claims  of  foreign  missions  from  the  realm  I 
of  speculation  and  opinion  into  the  region  of 
fact  and  history,  by  demonstrating  that  the 
negro  of  the  lowest  aboriginal  type  is  capable 
of  being  raised  to  "  heights  of  mental  and 
moral  glory."  As  eminently,  the  missionary 
is  an  international  ally  of  science,  commerce, 
statesmanship,  and  civilisation.  When  Dr. 
Moffat  spoke  on  African  Missions  in  the  Nave 
of  Westminster  Abbey,  November  30,  1875,  he 
made  the  remark  that,  "  Missionaries  to  a  bar- 
barian people  deserve  a  vote  of  thanks  from 
the  commercial  world."  Without  war  axe, 
spear,  or  sword,  they  have  been  the  trader's 
patron  and  chief  friend. 

These  ensigns  of  the  Gospel  have  displayed 
sanctified  courage,  and  something  of  the  high 
and  noble  life  of  such  crusadei-s  as  Mackay, 
Coillard,  Laws,  Steere,  Hore,  Arnot,  the  Comb- 


Preface. 


5 


ers,  Grcnfcll,  Crowthcr,  Wilmot-Brooke,  and 
others,  is  narrated  in  the  followinjj  pa^i^es. 
Their  Spartan  deeds,  stamped  on  the  plains  of 
the  Dark  Continent,  have  stirred  tlic  admira- 
tion of  the  Christian  nations.  For  the  sake  of 
neglected  and  down-trodden  Africa,  missionary- 
martyrdoms  present  an  unparalleled  record  ; 
heroic  spirits  having  served  and  fallen  in  legion, 
whose  dust  lies  in  the  lonely,  scattered  "  God's 
Acres"  on  Africa's  shores. 

Glowingly  said  Henry  Ward  Beeclier  of  the 
missionary  character :  "  The  man  who  under- 
takes to  lift  the  globe  in  the  sympathy  of 
Christ  who  said,  '  The  field  is  the  world  ';  the 
man  who  goes  out  of  his  parish,  and  out  of  his 
town,  and  out  of  his  nation,  and  goes  into  the 
great  stream  of  universal  humanity — that  is 
the  man  who  follows  Christ."  In  a  similar, 
impassioned  vein  Canon  Liddon  at  St.  Paul's 
Cathedral,  alluding  to  the  endeavour  of  mission- 
aries to  plant  the  standard  of  the  Cross  among 
African  races  observed  that,  by  supporting  so 
grand  an  object  :  "  Nothing  was  more  truly 
Christian  and  philanthropic,  or  more  worthy 


6 


Preface. 


of  men  who  hope  to  have  a  part  in  the  resur- 
rection to  Eternal  Life."  By  the  imperishable 
victories  of  missions  concerning  wliich  fresh 
and  reliable  information  will  be  supplied  in 
this  work,  a  loftier  enthusiasm  is  being  enkin- 
dled for  the  sacred  cause, 

The  customs,  languages,  characteristics,  and 
pursuits  of  the  native  tribes,  and  of  several 
portions  of  the  African  Continent  occupied  by 
the  missionaries,  have  been  carefully  pourtray- 
ed.  A  hearty  recognition  has  been  accorded 
to  Africa's  explorers  and  discoverers  ;  a  class 
of  heroes,  second  only  to  the  missionary,  on 
the  roll  of  honour.  From  the  days  of  Bruce, 
Mungo  Park,  and  Clapperton,  to  the  time  of 
Burton,  Livingstone,  "  the  king  of  African 
pioneers,"  Speke,  Grant,  Stanley,  and  Cam- 
eron, celebrated  travellers  have  towered  in 
the  van,  in  drawing  aside  the  veil  which  has 
shrouded  the  interior  of  that  immense  coun- 
try. "  Daring,  always  daring,"  the  soldier  of 
exploration  penetrating  its  mystery  and  vast- 
ncss  has  incited  the  missionary  to  pitch  his 
tent  amid  the  myriads  of  poor  savages  in  the 


Preface. 


7 


heart  of  Darkest  Africa.  In  breaking  through 
the  confines  of  a  land  of  impenetrable  silence 
the  missionary  and  the  explorer  have  been 
comrades,  august  rivals. 

Of  the  broad  features  of  African  geography 
an  exact  knowledge  is  of  recent  date.  Only 
thirty-five  years  have  elapsed  since  the  mighty 
prize  of  the  source  of  the  Nile  was  wrested, 
and,  within  the  last  thirty  years, — a  golden  age 
of  discovery, — more  has  been  done  for  the  re- 
clamation of  the  "  Lost  Continent "  than  in 
the  previous  3,300  years.  To  remove  the  pall 
of  ignorance  which  hung  over  the  depths  of 
Central  Africa  illustrious  bodies  of  exploring 
parties  have  exhibited  dauntless  resolution,  in- 
trepid spirit,  boundless  resource,  and  vast  en- 
terprise ;  nor  has  any  other  continent  claimed 
so  many  gallant  victims  ere  its  secrets  were 
disclosed.  Through  the  services  of  these  pa- 
cific invaders  civilisation  is  beginning  to  shed 
its  illuminating  rays  over  the  dark  places  of 
Africa,  and  Christianity  to  write  its  name  upon 
the  forehead  of  African  humanity. 

In  prophetic  tones  a  great  missionary  has 


8  Preface. 


declared,  "  Africa  will  be  saved  ";  and,  with  her 
emancipation,  the  demon  of  slavery,  that  rem- 
nant of  centuries  of  tyranny  and  baibarism, 
will  finally  be  driven  from  her  coasts. 

England,  1892. 


CONTENTS. 


PACE 

I.— Nyasa,  "The  Lake  of  the  Stars,"  .  ii 
II.— In  the  Empire  of  the  Moors,   .      .  35 

III.  — Life  Pictures  from  North  African 

Lands  55 

IV.  — Evangelisation  in  Egypt  and  the 

Nile  Valley  73 

V. — Uganda  under  Conquest,  ...  89 
VI.— The  Universities'  Mission  to  Cen- 
tral Africa  107 

VII. — Pioneering  in  the  Barotsi  Kingdom, 

ON  the  Upper  Zambesi,      .  .123 
VIII.— Sunrise  in  Kafraria,  South  Africa,  .  145 

IX.  — Planting  the  Flag  of  Missions  in 

Katanga,  159 

X.  — Missionary  Advance  up  the  Congo 

Waterway,  179 

XL— Missions  on  the  Niger  River,  .  197 
XII.— A  Romance  of  the  Equatorial  Sou- 
dan  .      .  .215 

XIIL— On  the  Banks  of  Lake  Tanganyika,  235 

(9) 


NYASA,  "THE  LAKE  OF  THE  STARS." 


I. 


NYASA,  "THE  LAKE  OF  THE  STARS." 

A  DEEPENING  interest  gatliers  around  Lake 
Nyasa  the  shores  of  which  were  surveyed,  less 
than  thirty  years  ago,  for  missionary  aggression, 
by  the  Rev.  James  Stewart,  at  the  request  of  the 
FreeChurch  of  Scotland.  In  face  of  the  recurring 
slave  wars  he  intimated  that  any  immediate  mis- 
sion inauguration  would  be  futile.  Following 
Livingstone's  death,  occurring  on  the  4th  of 
May,  1873,  Mr.  Stewart,  who  had  in  the  m.ean- 
timebeen  appointed  head  of  Lovedale  College, 
South  Africa,  propounded  in  1874  a  fresh 
scheme.  These  views  were  shared  by  Mr. 
Young,  R.N.,  author  of  "  Nyasa,"  also  a  notable 
explorer,  and,  in  1875,  this  pioneer  made  the 
first  circumnavigation  of  Lake  Nyasa  which 
was  discovered  to  have  a  length  of  350  miles,  a 
breadth  averaging  from  16  to  60  miles,  and  ly- 
ing in  a  remarkable  hollow  of  the  surrounding 

(13) 


14  Nyasa,  "The  Lake  of  the  Stars." 


tableland,  1,520  feet  above  the  sca-lcvel.  The 
Free  Church  tlicn  arose  with  courageous  aim 
to  publish  light  and  liberty  throughout  Nyasa- 
land  in  obedience  to  the  Master's  commission, 
in  response  to  Livingstone's  last  prayer,  and  in 
compassion  for  Africa's  benighted  humanity. 

The  resolve  of  the  Free  Church  was  counten- 
anced and  supported  unitedly  by  the  Reformed 
Presbyterian,  the  Established,  and  United 
Presbyterian  churches  of  Scotland.  A  year 
later  the  Church  of  Scotland  founded  its  pros- 
perous mission  in  the  Shir^  Highlands,  above 
the  Murchison  Cataracts,  at  Blantyre, — named 
after  the  Lanarkshire  village  where  David  Liv- 
ingstone was  born.  Two  adjacent  stations  were 
subsequently  erected  at  Domasi  and  Chirazulo. 
Supplied  with  a  score  of  European  and  five  na- 
tive missionaries  the  Blantyre  Mission  has  done 
effective  industrial,  evangelistic,  and  medical 
service,  and  likewise  conducted  school-training 
in  excellent  style.  Its  current  yearly  outlay 
amounts  to  £/\„ooo,  and  upon  the  entire  work- 
ing of  the  mission  ^40,000  has  been  spent. 
Among  the  honoured  names  on  the  Mission 


Nyasa,  "  The  Lake  of  ihe  Stars^  15 


staff,  Dr.  C.  Scott,  the  eminent  principal,  and 
Mr.  Hetherington,  are  well-known  representa- 
tives. At  Blantyrc  to-day  stands  the  finest  ec- 
clesiastical edifice  between  the  two  extremes  of 
Egypt  and  Cape  Colony,  recently  built  by  na- 
tive labour  under  European  direction. 

Planted  in  the  healthiest  of  situations  the 
Blantyre  Mission  has  been  less  exposed  to  cli- 
matic perils  than  the  Livingstonia  Mission 
which  has  suffered  the  heaviest  losses  at  its  ad- 
vanced outposts.  Lately  this  immunity  enjoyed 
at  Blantyre  through  15  years  of  arduous  and  oc- 
casionally perilous  labours,  ended.  Within  a 
brief  period  of  three  months  in  1891  three  of 
the  missionaries  were  fatally  stricken.  If  not 
martyrs  in  the  ordinary  sense  of  the  name,  the 
story  of  their  lives  and  deaths  nevertheless 
places  them  in  the  rank  of  the  noblest  heroes. 
The  trio  of  Scotsmen,  Henry  Henderson,  Dr. 
John  Bowie,  and  Robert  Cleland,  were  all  stu- 
dents of  the  University  of  Edinburgh.  To  Mr. 
Henderson  belongs  the  honour  of  having  chosen 
the  site  of  the  Blantyre  Mission.  A  man  of 
delicate  tact  in  winning  native  confidence,  en- 


i6  Nyasa,  "  TJie  Lake  of  the  Stars'' 


ducd  with  a  genuine  missionary  instinct  and 
ideal  and,  of  an  energy  so  untiring,  that  the 
natives  described  him,  "  the  man  that  never 
sleeps."  At  Quillimane,  on  the  I2th  of  Febru- 
ary, i8gi,  Mr.  Henderson  died  of  fever,  his 
health  shattered  by  hardships  and  his  spirit 
crushed  by  the  death  of  his  wife  and  child  from 
diphtheria,  a  few  dayc  previously.  The  memory 
of  this  pioneer  missionary  has  been  preserved 
by  his  old  college  friends,  Lord  President  Rob- 
ertson and  Lord  Stormonth-Darling,  who  have 
erected  a  chaste  tablet  at  Kinclaven,  "  to  com- 
memorate in  the  church  of  his  native  parish 
a  life  of  enterprise,  gentleness,  courage,  self- 
denial,  and  absolute  devotion  to  the  service  of 
Almighty  God."  Dr.  Bowie,  the  medical  mis- 
sionary, after  achieving  a  brilliant  university 
career  and  obtaining  a  lucrative  practice  in 
London,  offered  himself  in  1887  for  the  Blan- 
tyrc  Mission.  To  receive  the  medical  skill  of 
the  good  surgeon  during  his  brief  ministry  of 
healing  in  the  Shire  Highlands  the  afflicted 
natives  came  in  crowds.  Of  the  doctor's  kindly 
attention  to  the  lowliest  African  touching  in- 


Ayasa,  "  The  Lake  of  the  Stars.''    i  7 


cidents  arc  related,  and,  very  pitiful  are  the 
circumstances  which  terminated  his  devoted 
life.  Ere  quite  recovering  from  influenza  he 
performed  the  operation  of  tracheotomy  on  his 
sister's  child  attacked  by  diphtheria.  Bravely 
running  all  risks  he  repeatedly  sucked  the  dan- 
gerous tube  which  only  gave  temporary  relief 
to  the  child.  Within  twelve  hours  the  little 
sufferer  died.  Immediately  following  the  child's 
funeral,  its  bereaved  mother,  Mrs.  Henderson, 
was  seized  by  the  disease,  and  Dr.  Bowie  rising 
from  a  sick-bed  attempted  to  save  her  life  by 
means  of  tracheotomy.  The  dreaded  foe  had 
made  too  rapid  progress  on  his  sister's  constitu- 
tion, and  in  a  short  time  Mrs.  Henderson  passed 
away,  her  remains  being  laid  to  rest  beside 
those  of  her  dear  child.  And  then  the  same  viru- 
lent assailant  attacked  the  self-abnegated  broth- 
er, and  for  him — "  The  long  self-sacrifice  of  life 
is  o'er." 

The  third  of  this  group,  Robert  Cleland,  a 
Coatbridge  engineer  in  his  youthful  days,  be- 
came the  first  missionary  on  Mount  Milanje, 
about  four  days'  journey  from  the  Blantyre 


1 8   N'yasa,  "  The  Lake  of  the  Stars^ 


headquarters.  To  have  the  joy  of  being  classed 
a  missionary  to  the  heathen,  was  an  "  objective  " 
for  which  he  had  laboriously  toiled,  and  had  his 
life,  brief,  yet  fruitful,  been  prolonged,  there 
was  promise  of  high  achievements.  An  elo- 
quent portraiture  sets  Cleland  and  his  brother- 
missionaries  before  the  world  as  "  unwaver- 
ing in  determination,  unfailing  in  their  faith 
in  God,  and  unwearying  in  their  devotion  to 
Africa,  and  their  love  for  the  African,"  the 
study  of  whose  careers  must  incite  like-minded 
servants  of  Christ  to  take  up  the  standards 
which  have  fallen  from  their  consecrated  hands. 

By  the  Free  Church  of  Scotland  the  Liv- 
ingstonia  Mission  was  originally  established  at 
Cape  Maclear,  at  the  south  end  of  Lake  Nyasa, 
a  settlement  by  and  by  practically  abandoned 
on  account  of  the  deadly  malaria  rising  from 
the  imprisoned  poisonous  agents  in  the  dense 
soil  and  undrained  marshy  plains.  In  its  place, 
Bandawe,  lat.  12°,  half-way  up  the  west  coast 
of  the  lake  was  chosen,  and,  from  five  centres 
the  Livingstonia  Mission  has  scattered  heavenly 
rays.  Over  the  growing  organizations  presides 


Nyasa,  "  TIic  Lake  of  ike  Stars''  19 

the  Rev.  Dr.  Laws,  whom  Consul  Johnston  char- 
acterizes the  greatest  man  hitherto  known  in 
Nyasa-land.  On  the  eve  of  his  furlough  in  1892 
he  had  been  toiling,  with  slight  intermission, 
for  sixteen  years  in  Central  Africa,  directing 
the  policy  and  expansion  of  the  Mission.  With 
Livingstone  and  Steere  he  may  be  bracketed, 
and,  as  signally,  merits  the  praise  of  Christen- 
dom. It  was  in  1877  that  he  explored  a  part 
of  the  western  shore  in  company  with  Dr. 
Stewart  of  Scottish  renown.  A  year  afterwards 
Dr.  Laws,  joined  by  the  late  Mr.  James  Stew- 
art, C.E.,  made  a  journey  of  700  miles  along 
the  southern  and  westerly  skirts  of  the  lake 
and  the  hill  country  beyond.  The  doctor's  in- 
exhaustible activity  has  been  marked  by  medi- 
cal services,  the  direction  of  schools,  building 
of  stations,  negotiations  with  fierce  tribes, 
pastoral  engagements  and  invaluable  literary 
undertakings.  At  Bandawe  alone,  7,000  medi- 
cal cases  were  treated  in  1887,  and  in  the  re- 
spective schools  nearly  two  thousand  children 
are  getting  instruction.  Advance  is  every- 
where visible  in  spite  of  obstacles  which  arise 


20  Nyasa,  ''The  Lake  of  ihc  S/cu-'s." 


from  fifteen  different  tribes  speaking  as  many- 
languages,  v.'ith  minor  varying  dialects.  The 
Chirenji,  Chitonga,  Chigunda,  and  Angoni 
tongues  have  been  reduced  to  writing,  and  of 
the  sixteen  publications  in  the  speech  of  the 
natives,  gospels,  hymns,  dictionaries,  and  prim- 
ers have  chief  attention.  It  is  some  years  since 
the  entire  New  Testament  was  translated  into 
Chinyanja,  and  one  of  the  latest  linguistical 
triumphs  is  the  completion  of  the  Chinyanja 
Dictionary,  a  scholarly  volume  of  231  pages, 
executed  by  Dr.  Laws,  amid  the  raids  of  slave 
marauders,'  tribal  warfare,  Arab  insurrections, 
and  the  vicissitudes  attending  the  founding 
and  supervision  of  new  stations.  Conquests  of 
this  order  make  the  doctor  a  leader  by  whose 
missionary  apostleship  the  Gospel  has  been 
marvellously  glorified. 

On  the  Nyasa  field  the  stations  comprise 
Bandawe,  Mombera's,  Chineyera,  Chirenji,  Chin- 
ga,  Cape  Maclear,  Chikusi's,  Malindu,  and  Che- 
were's — fifty  miles  west  of  Lake  Nyasa.  Pro- 
spective stations  are  afoot  at  Karonga's,  at  the 
north  end  of  Nyasa,  renowned  as  a  trading 


Nyasa,  ''The  Lake  of  the  Starsy  21 


depot  of  the  African  Lakes  Company,  -which 
the  Arabs  failed  to  capture  at  the  time  of  Cap- 
tain Lugard's  defence;  and  at  Ukukwi  or  Kar- 
aramuka,  in  a  fascinatingly  situated  forest- clad 
country  to  the  northeast  of  the  lake,  where  the 
Moravians  are  opening  a  mission.  Thirty-one 
workers  are  enrolled  on  the  Free  Church  staff, 
including  seven  ordained  medical  missionaries, 
nine  artisans  and  teachers,  and  a  dozen  native 
evangelists.  The  Dutch  Reformed  Church  at 
Stellenbosch,  South  Africa,  is  now  warmly  co- 
operating in  the  extensions  of  the  Livingstonia 
Mission,  upon  which  a  sum  of  ;^6o,ooo  in  all, 
has  been  expended,  and  about  i5'5,ooo  per 
annum  devoted  to  this  spiritually  crowned 
enterprise. 

From  a  holiday  ramble  which  the  Rev.  Law- 
rence Scott  a  North  of  England  clergyman 
nade  in  Central  Africa,  in  1888,  with  some 
contempt  for  perils  and  fatigues,  in  order  to 
visit  a  brother-in-law,  to  carry  out  a  botanical 
expedition,  and,  to  benefit  his  fellow-creatures 
in  those  far-off  regions,  realistic  glimpses  at 
first  hand  were  obtained  of  the  native  races. 


2  2   Nyasa,  "  The  Lake  of  the  Slavs." 


Passing  the  picturesque  Murchison  Cataracts 
he  visited  the  powerful  tribe  of  the  Makololo, 
welded  together  by  native  followers  of  Living- 
stone and  lately  ruled  over  by  a  powerful  chief, 
whose  death  in  1887  >vas  deeply  regretted. 
The  Makololo,  always  friendly  to  the  English, 
a  fine,  independent  race,  capable  of  work,  open 
to  civilisation,  and  competent  for  self-defence, 
had  invariably  been  able  to  keep  out  both  the 
Arabs  and  the  Portuguese.  On  the  west  of 
Lake  Nyasa,  and  a  little  inland,  were  situated 
the  great  tribe  of  the  Angoni, — a  race  of  Zulu 
origin,  men  of  imposing  stature,  warlike,  brave, 
and  hitherto  strong  enough  to  hold  their  own 
against  any  Arabs  opposing  them.  Northwards, 
a  different,  and,  in  some  respects,  a  higher  type 
of  race,  was  found.  Their  huts  were  large  and 
well  built,  with  some  attempt  at  ornament  and 
painting;  their  streets,  or  rather  the  paths  be- 
tween the  huts,  were  clean,  and  swept  out 
every  morning;  their  gardens  skilfully  culti- 
vated, and  their  numerous  cattle  most  atten- 
tively cared  for.  This  tribe,  or  perhaps  series 
of  tribes  of  one  origin  and  one  language,  the 


Nyasa,  "  The  Lake  of  tlic  Star  si'  23 


Wa-Nkondc  and  the  Wam-Wainba,  occupy  the 
extreme  northwest  and  northern  shores  of  Lake 
Nyasa,  a  lovely  and  most  fertile  plain  reaching 
up  into  the  hills  which  divide  Nyasa  from 
Tanganyika.  These  were  the  finest  people  seen, 
happy,  contented,  industrious,  peace-loving, 
with  qualities  which  could  easily  be  developed. 
There  is  every  probability  that  the  Makololo, 
the  Angoni,  the  Wam-Wamba,  and  minor 
tribes  in  these  territories  might  in  the  course 
of  a  few  years  with  tact  and  judgment  be 
united  into  one  powerful  nation  and,  guided 
by  Englishmen,  whom  they  are  anxious  to  have 
settled  amongst  them,  they  would  maintain 
their  independence,  and  so  form  a  decisive 
check  upon  the  operation  of  the  slave-trader. 

Where  the  missionary,  as  may  be  supposed, 
has  not  made  a  settlement  the  children  of  the 
natives  exposed  to  Arab  invaders  suffer  dread- 
fully from  deeds  of  oppression  and  slavery. 
Writing  from  Karonga,  in  1889,  Dr.  Kerr  Cross 
describes  seeing  a  small  caravan  of  slaves  in 
that  district  which  consisted  merely  of  five 
boys  and  two  girls.    The  day's  march  was  over, 


24  Nyasa,  "  TJic  Lake  of  the  Stars." 


and  they  sat  on  the  ground;  but  the  "  gorce- 
stick"  was  still  on  their  neck.  The  leaders  of 
the  caravan  were  greatly  perturbed  at  the  doc- 
tor's presence  and  denounced  him  vehemently. 
Of  the  captives  said  the  doctor,  "  Poor  things, 
I  pitied  them  with  all  my  heart,  and  when  I 
saw  their  upturned  eyes  and  mangled  hands 
and  bruised,  skinny  bodies,  and  heard  the  white- 
robed  ruffian  talk  loudly  of  '  his  property,'  I 
felt  desperately  inclined  to  break  his  head.  I 
was  enabled  to  rule  my  anger,  I  am  glad  to  say. 
Next  morning  the  same  caravan  came  a  few 
miles  off  their  way,  that  they  might  march  past 
our  house  and  defy  us  to  touch  them.  Surely 
Ethiopia,  in  scenes  such  as  these,  pleads  for 
help,  and  stretches  out  her  hands  to  God  and 
to  us  against  the  Arab  and  his  guns." 

Another  letter  from  Ukukwi  of  later  date,  de- 
picts more  of  this  nefarious  work  by  the  villain- 
ous Merere,  chief  of  a  large  Arab  country,  and  his 
accomplices,  two  Arab  bands,  on  Mwasyoghi,  a 
country  lying  at  the  foot  of  a  giant  hill,  Rungwe, 
to  the  extreme  north  of  the  Livingstone  Range, 
The  inoffensive  natives  in  one  of  the  villages 


Nyasa^  "  The  Lake  of  the  Stars."  25 


scarcely  awakened,  tried  to  defend  themselves 
and  to  save  their  wives  and  children.  So  heavy 
was  the  murderous  fire  of  the  Arab  guns  upon 
them  that  they  were  driven  back,  and  finally 
routed  from  their  homesteads.  A  number  of 
neighbouring  villages  were  sacked  and  fired, 
the  inhabitants  of  which  were  either  killed, 
chained,  or  obliged  to  fly  to  the  hills,  and  up- 
wards of  thirty  women,  with  their  babies,  and 
several  young  girls  captured.  The  miscreants 
securely  entrenching  themselves  in  a  stockade 
of  bamboos  and  banana-stems,  settled  down  to 
enjoy  themselves  in  their  own  brutish  way, 
gorging  themselves  on  the  spoil,  and  glutting 
their  savage  lust  by  outraging  the  women 
and  young  girls.  Disturbed  in  the  midst  of 
these  fiendish  perpetrations  by  some  children 
weeping  over  the  mutilated  bodies  of  their 
mothers,  certain  of  the  inhuman  wretches  "  un- 
able to  quiet  the  bairns  clubbed  some,  and  cast 
others  into  the  flames  of  the  burning  houses. 
This  is  the  Arab  in  Africa  !  Oh,  God,  raise  up 
friends  for  this  poor,  bleeding,  unhappy  land  !  " 
At  Kopakopa's  village,  in  the  middle  of  1889, 


26    Nyasa,  "  The  Lake  of  tlie  Siars" 


might  have  been  seen  five  women  and  five 
children  stolen  from  their  own  village  with  the 
slave-sticks  on  their  necks.  During  the  night 
the  end  of  the  sticks — young  trees — were  tied 
to  the  roofs  of  the  houses,  attached  to  which 
the  captives  lay  through  the  chilly  nights,  the 
possible  prey  of  hyenas  or  other  animals.  In 
the  day-time,  until  sold  or  slain,  they  were  al- 
lowed  to  crawl  about  the  fronts  of  the  houses 
always  dragging  the  tree  behind.  That  same 
year  in  August,  Dr.  Cross  says  :  "  The  other 
day,  some  of  our  men,  returning  from  Ukanga 
on  the  south,  came  across  the  body  of  a  child 
lately  thrown  to  the  crocodiles.  It  was  the 
old  story.  The  captive  mother  was  swooning 
under  the  load  of  the  '  goree-stick '  and  her 
infant,  when  her  capturer  seized  the  child  and 
threw  it  into  the  stream." 

In  sweet  contrast  to  these  dark  tragedies, 
writes  this  earnest  missionary  at  the  termination 
of  the  struggle  with  the  Arabs  on  the  Nyasa- 
Tanganyika  plateau :  "  Notwithstanding  all  that 
is  disadvantageous, I  have  a  most  interesting  little 
school  held  every  forenoon  under  the  trees  out- 


Nyasa,  "  The  Lake  of  the  Stars."  27 


side  the  stockade.  There  arc  300  names  on 
the  roll,  with  250  in  attendance.  There  are  six 
classes,  each  taught  under  six  giant  Misyungute 
trees,  and  the  children  are  advancing.  All  my 
little  scholars  at  the  school  are  children  from 
theWankonde  villages — the  very  children  that 
the  Arabs  fought  for  and  longed  to  enslave. 
They  are  every  one  of  them  naked  and  help- 
less. God  has  rescued  them  from  the  slaver's 
cruel  hand,  and  they  look  to  us.  Could  not 
the  children  of  the  Sabbath-schools  at  home  do 
a  little  for  the  300  naked,  helpless  Wankonde 
children  whom  we  have  graciously  saved  from 
the  cruel  goree-stick  and  slavery  ?  " 

The  schools  dotting  the  west  coast  of  Lake 
Nyasa,  in  1892,  are  the  brightest  spots  in  the 
land,  and  where  school-buildings  have  not  yet 
been  erected,  the  work  is  usually  done  in  the 
open  air,  beneath  the  shade  of  a  big  tree,  when 
one  can  be  found.  Lessons  are  taught  in  read- 
ing, writing,  arithmetic,  and  Bible  instruction. 
The  fathers  and  mothers  unable  to  read  them- 
selves, cannot  help  their  children,  and,  not  in-  \ 
frequently,  some  of  them  think  that  their  chil- 


28  Nyasa,  "  The  Lake  of  the  Stars."' 


drcn  should  be  paid  for  attending  the  school. 
African  children  in  the  strongly-defended  vil- 
lages have  all  kinds  of  ingenious  amusements, 
of  which  Dr.  Laws  has  sent  details.  The  boys* 
chief  game  is  with  an  india-rubber  ball,  in  which 
they  take  two  sides,  and  try  to  keep  the  ball 
always  to  their  own  party.  Another  game  is 
played  with  beans  or  small  stones  put  in  hollow 
cups  scraped  out  of  the  ground,  and  a  curious 
one  consists  of  two  rows  of  boys  sitting  oppo- 
site to  each  other  on  the  ground.  Each  of  the 
boys  sets  up  a  little  stick  before  him,  which  his 
companion  over  against  it  tries  to  knock  down 
with  little  bits  of  calabash  put  on  a  pivot,  by 
making  them  spin  across  at  it.  The  boy  pick- 
ing up  these  tries  in  the  same  way  to  knock 
down  the  other  boy's  peg.  The  girls  amuse 
themselves  chiefly  by  imitating  their  mothers 
pounding  grain  and  grinding  meal  and  sifting 
it,  or  sometimes  the  little  ones  may  be  seen 
with  a  piece  of  cassava-root  or  sweet  potato 
tied  on  their  backs,  as  their  mothers  carry  their 
babies. 

Under  the  Free  Church  Mission  flag,  mission- 


Nyasa,  ''The  Lake  of  the  SiarsJ"  29 


aries  in  whose  breasts  burns  the  fire  of  action 
are  serving.  In  1891,  Dr.  Kerr  Cross  returned 
from  his  homc-furlough  with  his  bride — a 
step-daughter  of  the  late  Dr.  Turner,  the  famous 
South  Sea  missionary — for  his  station  in  North 
Nyasa-land.  His  gentle  bearing,  modesty,  sil- 
very-toned utterance,  and  refined  features  are 
unsuggestive  of  one  who  has  exhibited  the 
most  chivalrous  gallantry  in  ministering  to  a 
handful  of  men  defending  themselves  against 
overwhelming  bands  of  Arabs.  In  this  fight 
for  existence  and  the  humanity  of  the  slave  at 
Karonga's,  Dr.  Kerr  Cross,  the  faithful  physi- 
cian, will  ever  be  associated  with  Captain 
Lugard  and  his  brave  garrison.  Other  splendid 
representatives  in  Livingstonia  who  are  speed- 
ing the  course  of  missionary  empire  embrace  Dr. 
Elmslie,  the  translator  of  a  primer  in  the  lan- 
guage of  the  war-loving  'Ngoni ;  Dr.  Henry, 
of  South  'Ngoni ;  and  the  Rev.  A.  C.  Murray, 
of  the  West  Nyasa  Highlands.  To  these  add 
the  name,  greatly  revered,  of  the  late  youthful 
Rev.  J.  Alex.  Bain,  whose  task  of  love,  begin- 
ning in  1883  at  the  most  northerly  outpost  of 


30  Nyasa,  "  The  Lake  of  the  Stars." 


Lake  Nyasa,  was  continued  with  fervid  conse- 
cration and  unceasing  hardships  until  death 
called  him  home  from  the  sunny  shores  of 
Bandawfe  on  the  l6th  of  May,  1889. 
i  -Through  the  formation  of  the  African  Lakes 
Company,  in  1878,  for  the  development  of  the 
country's  resources  and  materially  reinforcing 
the  cause  of  missions,  a  staunch  ally  was  ob- 
tained. In  a  remarkable  measure  the  mission- 
aries have  been  indebted  to  the  generous  sym- 
pathy and  sagacious  counsels  of  the  Living- 
stonia  Committee  at  home,  of  which  Mr.  J. 
Stevenson,  of  "  Stevenson  Road  "  fame,  and 
Mr.  J.  Campbell  White,  are  known  columns  of 
strength.  The  latter  gentleman  is  inviting 
Scotchmen  to  raise  ^20,000,  to  cover  the  fifth 
period  of  five  years,  in  order  that  the  work  of 
the  Livingstonia  Mission  may  be  consolidated 
and  extended. 

Of  the  outlook  over  Nyasa-land  there  is  a 
broadening  sunrise.  Mission  and  civilising 
agencies  are  progressing.  Strangers  unarmed 
are  growingly  trusted  by  the  natives,  and  be- 
neath the  banner  of  the  united  white  influence 


Nyasa,  "  The  Lake  of  the  Stars."   3  i 


the  tribes  are  peaceably  disposed.  Outside 
these  protected  oases  of  civilisation  slave-raid- 
ing has  its  bloody  and  devastating  triumphs. 
Against  the  chiefs  engaged  in  this  iniquitous 
trafific  Commissioner  Johnston  has  been  waging 
a  military  crusade,  and,  throughout  the  British 
Protectorate  of  Nyasa-land  his  attacks  on  the 
Arabs,  though  attended  by  loss  to  his  own 
forces,  were  partially  victorious  at  the  close  of 
1 89 1  and  early  in  1892.  The  anticipated  fu- 
ture successes  of  this  gallant  officer  throw  a 
hopeful  light  upon  the  destiny  of  Lake  Nyasa. 

In  advancing  the  civilisation  of  Nyasa-land, 
"  customs  "  are  being  established,  and  postal 
regulations  facilitated.-  Land  is  eagerly  pur- 
chased, giving  an  impetus  to  agricultural  pros- 
pects. That  the  health  of  Europeans  can  be 
guaranteed  is  demonstrated  by  the  sixteen 
years'  experience  of  settlers  on  Central  African 
uplands.  So  welcome  a  piece  of  intelligence 
does  not  materially  affect  the  opinion  of  Afri- 
can experts  that  Africa  can  only  be  cultivated, 
on  a  broad  scale,  by  her  own  people.  In  this 
direction  native  labour  is  being  employed  and 


32   Nyasa,  "  The  Lake  of  the  Stars." 


the  natives  induced  to  live  on  the  plantations. 
As  regards  entrance  to  the  lake  region  it  is 
stated  that  a  direct  passage  can  be  made  from 
the  Indian  Ocean,  via  the  Zambesi  and  Shir6 
Rivers,  as  far  as  the  foot  of  the  Murchison  Cat- 
aracts. 

Dr.  Kerr  Cross  tells  a  romantic  story  of  the 
introduction  of  the  coffee-plant  into  Nyasa-land. 
By  way  of  experiment  the  curators  of  Kew 
Gardens  sent  out  to  Blantyre  about  ten  years 
ago  a  number  of  slips  of  the  coffee-plant.  One 
of  these  alone  survived  the  long  journey  and 
happily,  it  was  of  hardy  growth.  The  plant 
took  kindly  to  the  soil,  grew,  bore  seed,  proved 
itself  wonderfully  prolific,  and  to-day  is  the 
progenitor  of  a  million  of  plants  growing  on  a 
single  estate,  besides  hundreds  of  thousands 
on  neighbouring  lands.  The  coffee  produced 
realises  a  good  profit  in  the  London  market. 
As  Dr.  Cross  says :  "  That  little  cutting  from 
Kew  bids  fair  to  have  a  mighty  civilising  influ- 
ence on  this  part  of  Africa,  and  to  confer  an 
inestimable  boon  on  its  people." 

The  tribes  around  Nyasa  are  a  thoroughly 


Nyasa,  "  7/ie  Lake  of  Ihe  S/ars."  33 


interesting  race  of  people;  skilful  in  a  variety 
of  native  trades  and  willing  to  adopt  Western 
ideas  and  handicrafts.  Similar  to  their  kins- 
men on  Afric's  shores  they  yield  to  supersti- 
tions, depraved  beliefs,  witchcraft,  and  savage 
passions.  Most  dreaded  of  their  foes  is  the 
Arab  raider,  in  whose  scorched  tracks  weak 
and  solitary  tribes  are  marched  off  in  chains, 
"  with  a  gun  in  front  and  one  behind,"  or 
slaughtered,  which  gives  a  world  of  pathos  to 
the  observation  that  the  African  has  been  the 
prey  of  the  slaver  ever  since  the  dynasties  of 
the  Pharaohs  and  is  the  blood-chattel  of  the 
slaver  to-day.  Scorned  by  multitudes  better 
stationed,  the  dark  negro  ruthlessly  persecuted 
by  woes,  misfortunes,  and  servitude,  unhelped 
for  ages,  was  more  sinned  against  than  sinning, 
and  with  all  his  barbarous  habits,  idolatries,  and 
ugliness,  he  was  a  man,  crying  from  end  to  end 
of  Africa  for  his  heaven-born  rights. 

For  the  salvation  of  these  lost  ones  the  mis- 
sionaries of  the  Eternal  King  have  penetrated 
the  wildest  regions  and,  from  the  dense  forest 
banks  of  the  Ruo  River,  over  the  Shir6  pla- 


34  Nyasa,  "  The  Lake  of  the  Stars." 


teaus,  by  the  silvery  beach  of  Lake  Nyasa,  up 
the  Stevenson  Road,  across  the  waters  of  Tan- 
ganyika, and  forward  to  the  boundaries  of  the 
Congo  Free  State,  they  speak  of  the  peace  of 
faith,  the  joy  of  hope,  and,  of  the  life  everlast- 
ing. 


IN  THE  EMPIRE  OF  THE  MOORS. 


II. 


IN  THE  EMPIRE  OF  THE  MOORS. 

For  a  picture  of  a  nation's  decay,  corruption, 
darkness,  and  oppression,  Morocco  has  an  unhap- 
py reputation.  By  missionaries  and  travellers 
alike  the  moral  condition  of  the  people  is  pour- 
trayed  in  sombre  hues ;  a  consequence  partly  due 
to  bad  government  which  in  turn  reflects  in 
some  measure  the  lawless  habits  of  the  native 
tribes.  The  wretched  system  of  administration, 
— low  and  even  declining,  and  universally  ex- 
posed to  abuse  and  imposition, — is  vastly  inferior 
to  the  Mohammedan  rule  exercised  two  cen- 
turies ago.  Judged  by  a  fair  European  standard 
government  in  Morocco  has  only  a  shadow  of 
existence.  The  Sultan,  Muley  Hassan,  has 
neither  absolute  power  nor  entire  responsibility 
over  his  dominions.  He  is  a  despot  of  limited  au- 
thority. Spending  much  of  his  time  in  the  harem 
or,  travelling  between  his  two  chief  cities — Mo- 

(37) 


38         The  Empire  of  the  Moors. 


rocco  and  Fez,  some  three  hundred  miles  apart 
— the  Sultan  is  content  with  the  homage  of 
sovereignty  and  a  sufficient  income  for  his 
pleasure,  station,  court,  and  pageants.  The 
control  of  Morocco  is  practically  in  the  hands 
of  Kaids,  governors  of  the  three  and  thirty  dis- 
tricts into  which  the  empire  is  partitioned. 
Their  sway,  characteristic  of  Eastern  nations, 
is  marked  by  cruelties  and  extortions  on  an 
infamous  scale.     The  officials  according  to 
their  rank  fleece  the  natives,  and  infrequently 
does  a  superior  interfere.    Myriads  of  acres  of 
fine  tracts  of  soil  lie  in  "  fiat  idleness  "  on  ac- 
count of  the  burdens  imposed  by  tax-gatherers. 
This  lamentable  condition  of  things  results  in 
multitudes  of  the  people  existing  in  squalor 
and  destitution,  and  it  is  not  surprising  that  in 
every  department  of  life  retrogression  is  seen 
or,  that  Morocco  is  a  couple  of  thousand  years 
to  the  rear  of  the  civilisation  of  Great  Britain 
and  America. 

Morocco — the  land  of  song,  renown,  and 
classic  beauty — has,  for  ages  been  strangely 
neglected  by  the  civilised  world.    To  an  un- 


The  Empire  of  the  Moors.  39 


usual  degree  Europe  is  unacquainted  with  it 
notwithstanding  that  about  five  thousand  vol- 
umes describe  the  country's  principal  features 
and  that  of  these  books  of  travel,  three  hun- 
dred are  written  in  the  English  language. 
The  descendants  of  the  Moors,  who,  for  cen- 
turies, conquered  and  governed  Spain,  retain 
their  ancestors'  spirit  of  independence,  courage, 
glint  of  refinement,  and  martial  bearing.  To 
kindness  they  are  responsive  and  generally 
willing  to  give  hospitality  to  strangers.  The 
violence  of  character  which  they  occasionally 
display  is  an  inevitable  consequence  of  the  ill- 
usage  and  persecution  inflicted  upon  them  by 
the  official  classes.  To  a  less  extent  does  the 
degraded  morality  belong  to  the  Jews  in  Mo- 
rocco than  to  the  Moors.  In  Tangier  the  for- 
mer are  influential,  thrifty,  enterprising,  and 
the  most  enlightened  part  of  the  population, 
although  in  the  adjoining  provinces  many  of 
their  race  are  the  victims  of  gross  oppression 
due  to  their  alleged  usurious  habits.  The  Jews 
are  regarded  the  hope  of  the  Barbary  States. 
In  the  education  of  the  children  of  Morocco 


40        The  Empire  of  the  Moors. 


Jews  the  present  schools,  few  in  number,  are 
rendering  a  distinct  service  to  the  advance  of 
the  country,  and  one  of  the  chief  blessings 
which  Christian  nations  could  bestow  on  a 
backward  and  imperfectly  civilised  people 
would  be,  the  increase  of  these  helpful  institu- 
tions. Of  the  mineral  wealth  and  fertility  of 
the  land  glowing  accounts  corroborate  eacli 
other.  In  1892  it  was  stated  that  maize,  after 
paying  the  high  rate  of  105  per  cent,  duty,  was 
exported  in  large  quantities.  Trade  with  Great 
Britain  was  considerable,  and  growing,  and,  were 
the  Sultan  not  suspicious  of  the  intrigues  of 
foreign  powers  and  his  courtiers  guilty  of  hir- 
ing fanatical  Mohammedans  in  order  to  work 
on  the  religious  fears  of  their  co-religionists 
with  the  result  of  almost  constant  friction  and 
ill-feeling,  commercial  advantages  might  be 
extended  both  as  regards  the  development  of 
native  resources  and  the  importation  of  manu- 
factured articles. 

Geographically  viewed  Morocco,  "  the  China 
of  the  West,"  occupies  the  north-western  cor- 
ner of  the  African  Continent,  bounded  on  the 


The  Empire  of  the  Moors. 


41 


north  by  the  Mediterranean  Sea,  on  the  east  by 
Algeria  and  the  Sahara,  on  the  south  by  the 
giant  snow-clad  ranges  of  the  Atlas  Mountains, 
and  westwards  by  the  blue  waters  of  the  mighty 
Atlantic  Ocean.  The  area,  equal  in  size  to  five 
times  that  of  England,  is  about  260,000  square 
miles  and,  on  a  part  of  its  coast  line,  a  1,000 
miles  in  extent,  the  trading  settlement  of  Cape 
Juby,  Northwest  Africa,  is  the  only  civilising 
influence.  Its  population  (in  the  absence  of 
ofiRcial  records)  is  estimated  at  from  5,000,000 
to  8,000,000,  consisting  of  Jew,  Moslem,  Negro, 
and  European.  The  fierce  semi-independent 
hill  tribes  governed  by  their  own  chiefs  pay 
scanty  respect  to  the  Sultan  whose  skill  is  dis- 
played in  keeping  them  in  a  state  of  perpetual 
warfare  to  avoid  revolution  at  home.  Sultan 
Muley  Hassan  has  a  "  standing  army  "  number- 
ing 15,000  soldiers.  The  generalissimo  of  the 
forces  is  a  Scotchman  bearing  the  title  of  Kaid 
MacLean,  who  has  the  assistance  of  his  brother, 
both  of  whom  were  formerly  ofificers  in  the  Brit- 
ish army.  A  description  of  the  native  warriors 
presents  some   "  rather  ludicrous "  aspects. 


42         The  Empire  of  the  Moors. 


"  The  troops  are  clad  in  cast-off  British  red-coats 
worn  not  as  tunics,  for  a  Moor  could  never  bear 
to  be  strapped  up,  but  as  loose  jackets  with  a 
single  button  at  the  throat.  When  near  enough 
you  can  see  the  marks  of  the  old  regimental 
numbers,  or  brigade  initials,  on  the  shoulder- 
pieces.  A  tarboosh  or  peaked  head-piece,  a 
pair  of  wide  pantaloons  of  white,  or  dubious 
coloured  cotton  cloth,  and  the  orthodox  Moor- 
ish slippers,  with  an  obsolete  British  musket 
and  bayonet,  completes  the  warrior's  outfit.  The 
British  bugle-calls  sound  at  morning,  noon,  and 
night  in  camp  and  barracks,  and  the  words  of 
command  for  military  movements  are  given  in 
English."  A  number  of  the  soldiers  and  a 
great  body  of  attendants  join  the  Court  on  its 
annual  progress  through  the  provinces,  an 
event  which  the  natives  on  the  line  of  route 
have  reason  to  fear  and  dread.  The  pastoral 
resources  of  the  people  are  usually  exhausted 
by  the  demands  which  the  Sultan's  escort 
imposes  upon  these  defenceless  subjects.  More 
terrible  are  the  visits  which  the  troops  of 
the  Sultan  make  in  order  to  avenge  insurrec- 


The  Empire  of  the  Moors. 


43 


tions.  A  large  army  is  ordered  into  the  district 
disaffected  and  the  country  for  miles  round  is 
laid  waste  by  fire  and,  the  wretched  inhabitants 
slaughtered  in  considerable  numbers.  In  this 
kind  of  "justice,"  much  of  his  Majesty's  time 
is  said  to  be  occupied. 

Slavery  is  quite  common  in  Morocco.  At 
regular  intervals  slave  caravans  arrive  from 
Timbuctoo  and  the  Soudan  and  freely  distrib- 
ute their  "  commerce."  Three  days  a  week 
generally  in  Fez,  Morocco  City,  and  other 
places,  slave  auctions  are  held  in  the  open 
market  regardless  of  European  opinion  and  con- 
demnation. This  degrading  traffic  is  an  index 
of  the  social  condition  existing  in  Morocco.  In 
the  coast  towns  the  British  Minister,  Sir  John 
Drummond  Hay,  reports  that  the  prohibition 
of  the  public  sale  of  slaves  has  lately  been  in- 
fringed, a  backward  step  greatly  to  be  deplored. 
Mr.  Donald  MacKenzie  returning  from  his 
travels  in  Morocco  at  the  beginning  of  1892, 
states  that  slave-dealing  there  is  as  active  as 
ever.  It  is  carried  on  more  privately  in  the 
port  towns,  from  fear  of  attracting  the  attention 


44        The  Empire  of  the  Moors. 


of  the  Anti-Slavery  Society,  but,  in  the  interior, 
slaves  are  exposed  in  the  public  markets.  A 
little  time  back  the  Moorish  Kaids  gave  the 
Sultan  and  his  son  a  present  of  200  male  and 
female  slaves,  to  celebrate  the  event  of  the  mar- 
riage of  the  heir  to  the  Moorish  throne.  Girls, 
from  10  to  13  years  of  age,  fetch  about  £16  to 
£24.  each,  and  the  slave  merchants  find  the  fe- 
males more  profitable  from  10  to  20  years  of 
age.  Shortly  before  his  death  the  lamented 
Sir  William  Kirby  Green  obtained  a  verbal 
promise  from  the  Sultan  that  the  open  slave 
markets  in  his  dominions  should  be  closed, — an 
agreement,  unfortunately,  not  ratified.  By  the 
new  Minister  at  Morocco,  Sir  Charles  Euan- 
Smith,  active  opposition  to  slave-selling  is  ex- 
pected. Sir  Charles's  efforts  on  behalf  of  the 
freedom  of  the  slave  at  Zanzibar  are  a  guarantee 
that  in  Morocco  he  will  show  at  the  earliest 
opportunity  his  aversion  to  the  cruel  trade  and, 
as  zealously  work  for  its  stoppage. 

On  the  unreclaimed  field  of  Morocco  the 
North  Africa  Mission  and  the  South  Morocco 
Mission, — the  principal  societies  with  opera- 


The  Empire  of  the  Moors.  45 


tions, — are  doing  effective  service.  Tlie  former 
has  twenty  ladies  and  seven  gentlemen  en- 
gaged in  evangelistic  and  similar  labours  at 
Tangier,  Tctuan,  Fez,  and  Casa  Blanca,  chiefly 
in  the  northern  provinces.  Since  the  opening 
of  this  mission  in  1884  suitable  premises  have 
been  erected  and  increasing  influence  gained 
over  the  Moslem,  Jewish,  Negro,  and  European 
populations. 

The  city  of  Tangier,  on  the  north-western 
coast  of  Morocco,  is  the  headquarters  of  the 
North  Africa  Mission  and,  the  popular  seaport 
of  the  missionaries.  At  Hope  House  on  the  city's 
outskirts  the  missionaries  reside  until  they  are 
accustomed  to  the  climate  and  make  acquaint- 
ance with  Arabic.  From  the  rocky  coast 
which  blooms  with  scarlet  geraniums,  yellow 
cistus,  and  many  lovely  flowers,  outward  and 
homeward  bound  steamers  via  the  Straits  of 
Gibraltar  can  easily  be  seen.  The  Tulloch 
Memorial  Hospital  at  Tangier,  built  in  mem- 
ory of  Miss  Tulloch,  a  beloved  labourer,  and 
standing  on  the  spot  where  she  "  fell  asleep," 
is  an  invaluable  institution,  over  which  Dr.  T. 


46        The  Empire  of  the  Moors. 


G.  Churcher  exercises  a  capable  medical  and 
spiritual  superintendence.  Patients  of  every 
race  and  colour  throng  the  waiting-rooms  from 
districts  where  small-pox  makes  its  ravages  on 
Arab  children,  elephantiasis  on  adults,  and, 
leprosy,  amid  Negro  communities.  In  one  of 
his  vivid  portraitures  the  doctor  refers  to  a 
poor,  sick  slave  from  Mequinez,  Central  Mo- 
rocco, whose  face  was  radiant  with  joy  at  the 
news  that  the  very  Son  of  God  died  to  save 
even  him.  Of  the  missionaries'  highest  re- 
sponsibility, writes  Dr.  Churcher,  "  All  our 
practical  work  is  as  nothing,  and  less  than 
nothing,  as  compared  with  the  value  of  one 
soul."  The  staff  in  Tangier  includes  fourteen 
missionaries,  of  which  Mr.  H.  N.  Patrick,  a 
Spaniard,  is  ardently  spreading  the  seed  of  the 
kingdom  among  the  4,000  Spanish  in  the 
city.  Strange  receptions  are  given  to  the  lady 
missionaries.  Upon  a  few  of  them  visiting 
the  market-place  of  Soke  Hermees,  in  the  vi- 
cinity of  Tangier,  every  eye  was  fixed  on  them, 
followed  with  the  cry,  "  The  Nazarenes  are 
here,  the  Nazarenes  have  come."  Elsewhere 


The  Empire  of  the  Mocrs.  47 


the  missionaries  have  been  styled  the  "  Naza- 
ras  "  and  "Kafirs," — meaning,  Infidels.  Tctu- 
an,  lying  on  the  northern  skirt  of  Morocco,  is 
a  centre  of  trade  and  political  influence. 
Nestling  between  two  ranges  of  mountains 
overlooking  the  Mediterranean,  the  city  has 
been  likened  in  the  sunshine  to  a  "  huge  pearl 
in  verdant  setting."  Although  the  population 
of  30,000,  comprising  Moslems  and  Jews  and  a 
sprinkling  of  Spaniards,  has  many  of  the  lead- 
ing Morocco  families,  its  filth  and  crumbling 
ruins  are  typical  of  the  polluted  moral  atmos- 
phere. The  city's  charming  natural  scenery 
is  shadowed  by  Mohammedan  darkness,  for 
the  penetration  of  which  serene  faith  has  been 
required.  As  the  terminus  of  a  network  of 
routes  from  the  interior,  Tetuan  is  an  excel- 
lent base  for  missionary  propagation.  It  forms 
the  gateway  of  the  Riff  country  which  extends 
to  Algeria.  The  Riff  tribes,  not  unlike  the  Al- 
gerian Kabyles,  are  Berbers,  estimated  to  be 
200,000  in  number,  who  show  indifferent  regard 
for  the  Sultan's  edicts. 

Fez,  the  Moorish  capital,  130  miles  from 


48        The  Empire  of  the  Moors. 


Tangier,  has  150,000  inhabitants.  When  Miss 
Herdman,  its  first  lady  missionary,  was  ap- 
proaching it  by  the  Sebou  River,  a  determined 
Arab  female  seized  her  by  the  throat  with  one 
hand,  and,  drawing  the  other  across  it  in  imita- 
tion of  cutting  it,  savagely  cried  out,  "  That  is 
what  we  ought  to  do  with  you."  In  Fez,  after 
seven  years'  toil,  Miss  Herdman  remains,  a 
warmly  esteemed  messenger  of  peace.  Of 
picturesque  situation  rising  from  a  circular 
depression,  Fez  is  surrounded  by  snow- 
crowned  summits  of  the  higher  Atlas  range. 
The  under  slopes  of  these  are  clothed  with 
orange  and  lemon  gardens,  red-leaved  pome- 
granates, extensive  olive  plantations,  and  pe- 
rennial, green  shrubbery.  Amid  patches  of 
golden  wheat  and  barley,  the  brilliant  poppies, 
marigolds,  and  groups  of  tinted  flowers,  make 
bright  scenes.  For  centuries  the  Mogreb  from 
the  elegant  tower  of  the  historic  Muley  Idrees 
mosque  has  daily  sounded,  and,  to  it,  the  muez- 
zins on  distant  minarets  have  as  faithfully  an- 
swered. In  the  assault  on  this  stronghold  of 
the  False  Prophet,  Christ's  angels  of  mercy  have 


The  Empire  of  the  Moors.  49 


hazarded  their  lives,  and,  in  the  gorgeous  sun- 
sets, have  climbed  the  flat  roofs  of  the  houses 
to  the  'alliya/ts,  to  sing  the  melodies  of  Zion, 
or  read  the  "  Wordless  Book,"  in  the  hearing  of 
richly  attired  Moorish  ladies  and  timid  negress 
slaves.  Not  the  least  triumph  of  the  North 
Africa  Mission  is  the  willingness  of  the  Arabs 
to  allow  their  wives  and  daughters  to  visit,  un- 
escorted, the  mission  gatherings.  The  medical 
mission  at  Fez  is  an  incessantly  besieged  ref- 
uge in  which  suffering  humanity  is  relieved. 
W omen  from  towns  and  far-away  villages  as- 
semble at  the  teachers'  doors,  and  even  slaves 
listen  to  the  truth  which  maketh  free  indeed. 
One  of  the  visitors  two  years  ago  was  a 
black  slave  who,  accompanying  her  mistress, 
said  with  glee,  "  I  have  brought  her  to  hear 
about  SidnaAissa," — the  name  by  which  Christ 
is  known.  The  centre  of  avast  outlying  popu- 
lation, Fez  has  a  few  dauntless  pioneers  and 
witnesses  within  its  gates. 

Since  1888  the  southerly  parts  of  Morocco 
have  had  the  unswerving  devotion  of  the  mis- 
sionaries belonging  to  the  South  Morocco  Mis- 


50        The  Empire  cf  tlic  Moors. 


sion.  Visiting  the  land  in  search  of  health,  Mr. 
John  Anderson,  of  Ardrossan,  was  appalled  at 
the  dark-soulcd  condition  of  the  people  and,  on 
his  return  to  Scotland,  founded  and,  has  sub- 
sequently guided,  the  mission,  which  is  a 
growingly  powerful  agency.  With  upwards  of 
twenty  missionaries  the  mission  is  represented 
at  Rabat,  Mazagan,  Mogador,  and  Morocco  City. 
Unconnected  with  any  branch  of  the  Christian 
Church  the  missionaries  of  this  organization 
seek  to  spread  the  kingdom  of  God  in  a  plain 
and  unfettered  manner,  in  harmony  with  Gos- 
pel teaching.  The  poor  are  visited,  the  young 
instructed,  the  sick  healed,  and  the  Words  of 
Christ  everywhere  spoken  in  "  a  land  of  dark- 
ness, as  darkness  itself." 

In  South  Morocco  the  state  of  agriculture, 
communication,  sanitary  matters,  and  degrada- 
tion, can  hardly  be  conceived.  Agricultural 
operations  remain  in  a  crude  and  childish  stage. 
Ploughing  is  carried  out  under  amusing  con- 
ditions. It  is  a  common  occurrence  to  see 
yoked  together  in  pairs  to  the  plough,  "  a  pair 
of  bulls,  a  bull  and  a  cow,  a  bull  and  a  donkey, 


Tlic  Empire  of  tJic  Moors.        5 1 

 »  

a  horse  and  a  camel,  and,  a  camel  and  a  cow." 
When  the  furrows  are  made,  or  scratched,  the 
animals  stand  at  the  ends  of  the  plots  till  the 
Morocco  peasant  sows  his  ridges.  In  the  far 
south  of  Morocco  the  Atlas  Mountains  supply- 
rushing  streams  which  are  utilised  for  irrigation 
by  means  of  the  artificial  water  courses.  Where 
the  inhabitants  have  the  skill  and  resources  to 
make  these  deep  channels,  admirable  crops  are 
raised,  once  or  twice  annually,  and  the  fertility 
of  the  soil  increased.  Fair  landscapes  appear 
on  the  horizon,  rich  in  olive  trees  and  adorned 
with  that  crown  of  Oriental  vegetation — the 
picturesque  date  palm,  welcomely  availed  of 
by  travellers  for  shade  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
wells  and  flowing  rivulets.  Means  of  transit 
are  of  a  primitive  type,  accomplished  by  mules. 
These  animals  and  their  masters  are  equally 
expert  in  protracting  the  time  of  a  journey. 

Mogador,  on  the  coast,  125  miles  from  Mo- 
rocco, is  peopled  chiefly  by  the  Moors  and  Jews. 
The  Mellah,  the  quarter  in  which  Jews  are 
packed,  is  the  abode  of  foul  smells,  raging 
fevers,  and  loathsome  sights,  principally  conse- 


52         The  Empire  of  the  Moors. 


quent  upon  the  absence  of  drainage.  Christian 
work  in  Mogador  among  the  Jews  is  as  burden- 
some as  it  is  perilous.  Much  preferable  is  the 
labour  of  Moorish  evangelisation,  this  race  be- 
ing more  cleanly  in  habit  and  less  crowded  to- 
gether than  their  degraded  neighbours.  Travel- 
ling from  Mogador  to  Morocco,  a  journey  which 
occupies  five  days  on  muleback,  the  country  on 
approaching  Morocco  presents  lovely  views. 
A  missionary  traveller  writes:  "  Passing  over  a 
fine  stretch  of  land  thickly  studded  with  date 
palms,  many  of  them  laden  with  golden  fruit, 
the  city  came  in  sight.  Its  white-washed  walls 
and  battlemented  houses,  and  its  many  mina- 
rets, some  of  them  very  high,  gleamed  in  the 
bright  sunlight,  while  beyond  rose  the  Atlas 
Mountains  in  rugged  grandeur  reflecting  the 
sunshine  in  many  brilliant  hues  from  their 
snow-capped  peaks  and  lofty  slopes.  The 
scene  was  one  of  surpassing  loveliness,  but  its 
beauty  only  served  to  heighten  the  effect  of 
the  startling  contrast  within  the  walls  of  the 
city.  The  superabounding  filth,  the  unwhole- 
some effluvia,  the  perpetual  discomfort,  make 


The  Empire  of  the  Moors.  53 


it  a  most  undesirable  residence;  while  the  in- 
tense and,  to  the  European,  ahnost  unbearable 
stifling  heat  of  summer,  will  prove  no  ordinary 
strain  to  physical  endurance — and  health."  Mr. 
Joseph  Thomson  says  that  one-half  of  the 
population  is  usually  in  prison, — a  revelation 
which  has  a  pitiful  climax  in  the  spiritual  blind- 
ness of  the  people  where  Moslem  fanaticism 
flaunts  itself  and,  on  every  hand,  moral  pollu- 
tion obtains. 

The  subjects  of  the  Empire  of  Morocco  are 
proud,  superstitious,  bigoted,  easily  lending 
themselves  to  hatred  and  strife.  Tens  of 
thousands  of  the  inhabitants  in  the  wildest  dis- 
tricts believe  in  the  return  of  Mahomet's  sway, 
and  confidently  await  the  hour  of  a  mighty  ris- 
ing for  the  re-establishment  of  his  fallen  sceptre. 
In  readiness  they  hold  themselves  for  the  blast 
of  the  trumpet  calling  them  to  a  Holy  War 
when,  marshalled  by  the  Sultan,  they  anticipate 
that  a  crushing  blow  will  be  delivered  to  the 
infidel  world.  Animated  by  this  vision  the 
natives  inscribe  on  the  guns,  which  they  always 
carry,  "  Cineeat  el  jehad,  in  sha  Allah,"  signi- 


54        The  Empire  of  the  Aloors. 


fying,  "  For  the  purpose  of  the  Holy  War,  if 
God  will." 

As  valiantly  the  enthusiastic  advocates  of 
the  Gospel  challenge  these  errors  and  assail  the 
frowning  ramparts  of  Islam's  power.  Undis- 
mayed by  millions  of  opposing  Mohammedans 
they  are  assured  of  the  presence  of  the  Most 
High  who  prepares  His  own  royal  way,  and 
crowns  with  praise  and  triumph  the  footsteps  of 
His  messengers. 


LIFE   PICTURES   FROM  NORTH 
AFRICAN  LANDS. 


(55) 


III. 


LIFE  PICTURES  FROM  NORTH  AFRI- 
CAN LANDS. 

The  Arabs  of  North  Africa  cling  to  the  style 
of  dress  and  adopt  the  modes  of  etiquette  by 
which  their  ancestors  were  known  in  bygone 
centuries.  In  the  homestead  the  Arab  wears 
his  turbaned  head-dress.  Its  removal  there 
would  be  regarded  a  gravely  discourteous 
act.  He  is  accustomed  to  clothe  himself  dur- 
ing the  winter  months  in  a  thick  woollen  cloak 
of  soft  drab  usually  some  fifteen  feet  long, 
which  almost  completely  swathes  his  hardy 
limbs.  With  a  portion  of  the  shawl  he  makes 
his  turban  and,  another  length  he  ties  up  to 
serve  as  a  purse.  A  smartly  contrived  red 
leather  pocket  hangs  at  the  side  suspended  by 
shoulder-straps  in  addition  to  a  broad,  richly- 
dyed,  cloth  girdle  round  the  waist,  forming  a 
great  support  in  the  trying  changes  of  heat  and 

(57) 


58  North  African  Lands. 


cold,  peculiar  to  the  African  climate.  The 
yellowish-brown  sandals  worn  in  travelling  over 
thorny  or  stony  ground  are  generally  ex- 
changed on  approaching  a  dwelling,  for  a  pair 
of  shoes,  with  the  heels  turned  in,  which  make 
it  easier  to  remove  them  on  entering  a  tent  or 
room.  In  this  artistic  costume  the  Arab  has 
a  picturcsqucness  of  figure  which  breathes  of 
the  "  billowy,"  sandy  desert. 

For  the  exquisite  growths  of  nature  the 
Arabs,  men  and  women  alike,  have  scanty 
regard.  The  brightest-hued  flowers  are  care- 
lessly passed.  About  the  doorways  of  "  gour- 
bis,"  or,  on  the  roofs  of  better-class  dwellings, 
mint  for  tea,  oranges  for  eating,  and  a  little 
coriander  and  parsley,  with  which  to  flavour 
dishes  of  soup,  are  cultivated,  and  this  is  their 
ideal  of  a  garden.  A  missionary  correspondent 
thus  sketches  a  winter  garden  at  Fez,  in  De- 
cember: "  We  were  in  a  beautiful  garden  full 
of  orange,  lemon,  and  other  fruit  trees,  with 
rose  and  white  jasmine  bushes  in  bloom.  The 
oranges  are  still  sour,  but  the  trees,  full  of  yel- 
low fruit  with  their  dark  glossy  leaves,  are 


North  Africa 71  Lands.  59 


always  a  pleasing  picture.  The  Moorish  idea 
of  a  garden  is  produce.  The  flowers  are  only 
allowed  odd  corners  where  there  is  no  room  for 
a  tree,  or  close  to  the  narrow  paths  of  beaten 
earth.  Jasmine  and  roses  pulled  off  without 
stems  are  saleable,  the  jasmine  to  make 
wreaths  for  the  ladies'  heads,  the  roses  for 
rosewater.  The  blossom  of  the  bitter  orange 
is  sold  in  large  quantities  in  the  spring  for  dis- 
tillation." In  the  spring-time  it  is  quite  a 
pleasant  novelty  to  meet  an  Arab  girl  who  has 
a  sprig  of  jasmine  or  a  violet  in  her  hair.  If  a 
flower  is  to  interest  them  it  must  have  the  es- 
sential quality  of  sweetness;  the  cultivation  of 
anything  just  to  admire,  is  entirely  beyond 
their  idea.  And  so  it  has  been  noticed  that 
when  Europeans  introduce  flowers  for  delight 
only,  the  Arabs  are  always  surprised  and  re- 
quire training  in  order  to  appreciate  the  charms 
of  floral  beauty.  In  this  respect  they  offer  a 
distinct  contrast  to  their  not  far  off  Andalusian 
neighbours  in  such  a  city  as  Seville.  Of  the 
women  employed  there  in  one  of  the  tobacco 
factories  a  visitor  recently  made  this  observa- 


6o  North  African  Lands. 


tion  :  "  One  womanly  trait  was  almost  uni- 
versal, the  love  of  flowers.  The  ugliest  slat- 
tern, equally  with  the  comparatively  neat  wo- 
man, had  a.  flower  or  two  in  her  hair,  on  her 
bosom,  or  in  a  jug  beside  her  table.  It  was  a 
little  bit  of  pure  nature  in  a  very  dark  and  de- 
pressing human  dungeon." 

In  all  the  North  African  regions  women  have 
a  thankless  life.  They  are  generally  penned 
up  in  what  may  be  termed  prison  houses  or 
made  to  labour  in  the  most  degrading  fashion. 
From  very  early  childhood  hundreds  of  women, 
for  instance,  in  Tunisian  villages,  never  leave 
their  cheerless,  shabby  homes,  not  even  to  go 
to  a  public  bath,  which  a  few  of  their  more 
favoured  sex  can  enjoy.  Necessarily  these 
poor  creatures  are  of  a  sad  and  forlorn  type, 
and  so  enslaved  to  traditions  that  upon  a  Eu- 
ropean entering  their  domicile  they  promptly 
close  the  door  behind  him  to  avoid  the  risk  of 
a  man  happening  to  pass  at  the  time,  an  occur- 
rence which  is  supposed  to  bring  disgrace  on 
the  females  within.  A  lady  missionary  in 
Tunis  touchingly  depicts  the  condition  of  Arab 


North  African  Lands. 


6 1 


females:  "Only  a  woman!  a  poor,  worn-out, 
broken-hearted  woman — old  before  her  time — in 
the  eyes  of  her  Mohammedan  husband,  a  slave, 
married  to  be  the  mother  of  his  children,  a  part 
of  his  possessions,  to  be  cast  off  at  his  pleasure, 
to  be  shut  up  from  year's  end  to  year's  end 
with  very  little  change  to  break  the  dull  mo- 
notony of  her  life  :  only  a  household  drudge  ! 
.  .  .  .  Do  you  want  to  know  the  truth  of  this? 
There  are  countries,  not  a  week's  journey  from 
England,  where  our  sisters  are  treated  like 
beasts  rather  than  women — left  without  educa- 
tion, shut  in,  married  one  day,  divorced  the 
next:  living  loveless  lives,  without  any  present 
Saviour,  only  a  dim,  false  hope  in  the  future, 
but  oh  !  so  willing  to  learn  and  listen,  if  only 
they  are  reached  in  time." 

Among  Algerian  tribes  women  are  forced  to 
do  the  hardest  kinds  of  labour  outside  the 
tents.  They  gather  and  carrj'  piles  of  wood 
long  distances,  draw  the  water  for  the  house- 
hold, make  the  rude  pottery,  take  charge  of 
the  flocks,  and  regularly  milk  the  cows  and 
goats.    These  burden-bearers  weave  the  men's 


62  North  African  Lands. 


liaiks,  and,  with  deft  hands  work  the  mats  and 
baskets  which  are  offered  for  sale.  The  poorer 
classes  are  seldom  clean  in  person.  Those  who 
have  lost  sons  or  male  relations  in  war  must 
not  wash  or  change  their  garment,  made  up 
of  several  yards  of  calico  or  muslin  fastened 
with  wooden  pins.  A  missionary  trying  to 
persuade  a  young  woman  to  wash  her  baby  and 
his  garment,  as  it  was  nothing  but  dirt  that  was 
killing  the  child,  received  the  reply,  "  Has 
there  not  died  to  us  enough  of  our  men  in  the 
war  that  I  should  let  him  die  also?"  Their 
houses  are  barely  worthy  the  name,  so  meanly 
are  they  furnished  and  lacking  in  cleanliness. 

From  a  sense  of  fear  the  Arabs,  as  a  rule,  in 
every  part  of  North  Africa,  sleep  together,  and 
alongside  them  may  be,  a  camel,  mule,  cow  and 
calf,  goat,  pig,  or  a  half-starved  dog  or  cat.  In 
the  remote,  less  civilised  districts  of  Southern 
Algeria,  the  women  put  off  the  face  veil,  a  por- 
tion of  attire  which  among  women  of  beauty 
and  those  of  the  upper  classes  in  the  northerly 
towns  is  rigidly  worn,  save  over  a  part  of  the 
left  eye.    The  Kabyle  women,  whose  race  in 


North  African  Lands.  63 


thousands  occupy  a  large  division  of  Northern 
Algeria,  are  more  kindly  treated  than  any  other 
section  of  females  in  North  Africa.  Unlike 
the  nomadic  Arabs,  the  Kabyles  are  settled, 
home-loving  tribes  of  people.  In  spite  of  their 
darkened  lives  their  taste  and  orderliness  are 
noticed  in  the  well-tilled  farms  and  fruitful 
market  gardens,  nor  are  the  women  veiled  after 
the  custom  of  their  Arab  neighbours.  One  of 
the  interesting  adornments  of  a  woman  in 
Kabylia  is  a  brooch  attached  to  her  forehead, 
which  denotes  that  she  has  had  the  distinction 
of  bearing  a  son,  and  as  frequently  as  the  hon- 
our is  repeated,  she  adds  to  the  number  of  her 
ornaments  with  true  native  grace  and  dignity. 

Curiosity  and  suspicion  are  universal  traits. 
When  a  stranger  is  invited  into  an  Arab  tent, 
and  has  put  off  his  shoes  before  stepping  on 
the  mat,  the  eagerness  to  learn  everything 
about  him  is  astonishing.  Of  this  character- 
istic, laughable  stories  are  told  by  the  ladies  of 
the  North  Africa  Mission.  In  certain  parts 
where  a  foreign  lady  may  not  have  previously 
travelled,  her  dress  is  an  object  of  minute  and 


64 


Norik  African  Lands. 


incessant  examination.  The  natives  are  amazed 
at  the  quantity  of  flannel  worn  by  Europeans. 
Hats,  too,  are  respectfully  inspected  and  the 
under-garments  scrutinized  by  the  native  wo- 
men, who  wear  little  beside  two  or  three  cot- 
ton folds.  When  this  inspection  is  finished, 
questioning  begins  regarding  the  life-history  of 
the  guest.  As  with  Easterns  of  other  lands,  the 
Arabs  are  painfully  suspicious,  a  feature  of  a 
less  pleasing  character.  Deceiving  and  de- 
ceived, they  are  loth  to  commit  themselves  to 
a  fresh  face,  and  much  efTort  is  required  to  per- 
suade them  of  genuine  friendliness.  When 
their  confidence  is  gained  the  kindness  they 
show  in  the  north  country  provinces  is  remark- 
able. A  friend  of  the  writer's  recently  travel- 
led on  foot  from  Tunis  to  Gabes,  a  fortnight's 
journey,  upwards  of  two  hundred  miles,  with- 
out the  slightest  charge  for  hospitality,  except 
on  one  occasion.  On  money  being  offered  to 
the  Bedouin  Arabs  for  shelter  and  refresh- 
ments they  often  replied  in  their  own  tongue  : 
"  The  Lord  has  given  me  plenty,  I  don't  want 
your  money." 


North  African  Lands.  65 


Pathetic  to  the  last  degree  is  the  death  scene 
oil  many  a  stern  landscape  among  the  Bedouin 
children  of  the  desert.  When  the  dtead  hour 
approaches  the  suffering  member  usually  rests 
on  a  mattress  in  the  middle  of  the  floor.  From 
far  and  near  friends  and  relatives  slide  in 
to  watch,  until  the  apartment  is  unbearably 
crowded.  The  appearance  of  these  death- 
watchers  is  very  strange  and  uncivilised. 
Their  hair  jet  black,  their  faces  painted,  and, 
their  clothing,  made  up  of  loose,  dark  blue 
garments,  is  thrown  up  on  the  shoulder  or 
across  the  chest,  fastened  by  a  huge  pin 
adorned  with  a  large  silver  ring.  There  they 
remain  hour  after  hour  and  only  turn  away 
when  life  has  ceased  to  beat.  In  their  customs 
the  Bedouins  differ  little  from  the  stationary 
Arabs  :  they  are  Mohammedans,  densely  igno- 
rant, superstitious  in  the  extreme,  yet  more 
accessible  by  Europeans. 

That  useful  adjunct  of  civilised  lands,  the 
post-carrier,  has  a  rough  kind  of  existence  in 
North  Africa.  The  only  "  royal  mail"  in  Mo- 
rocco is  represented  by  a  class  of  poor,  lean 


66 


North  African  Lands. 


Arabs,  bearing  letters  in  leathern  bags  slung 
about  their  necks.  A  traveller  pourtrays  the 
type  of  ■  present-day  Moorish  post-runners: 
"  They  eat  nothing  on  their  journey  but  a 
little  bread  and  a  few  figs  ;  they  stop  only  at 
night  for  a  few  hours  to  sleep,  with  a  cord  tied 
to  the  foot,  to  which  they  set  fire  before  going 
to  sleep,  and  which  wakens  them  within  a  cer- 
tain time ;  they  travel  whole  days  without  see- 
ing a  tree  or  a  drop  of  water ;  they  cross  forests 
infested  with  wild  boar,  climb  mountains  in- 
accessible to  mules,  swim  rivers,  sometimes 
walk,  sometimes  run,  sometimes  roll  down  de- 
clivities, or  climb  ascents  on  feet  and  hands, 
under  the  August  sun,  under  the  drenching 
autumn  rains,  under  the  burning  desert  wind, 
taking  four  days  from  Fez  to  Tangier,  a  week 
from  Tangier  to  Morocco,  from  one  extremity 
of  the  empire  to  the  other,  alone,  barefooted, 
half-naked ;  and  when  they  do  reach  their 
journey's  end,  they  go  back!  And  this  they 
do  for  a  few  francs."  Than  the  lives  of  these 
couriers  nothing  more  wretched  can  be  im- 
agined. 


A^orth  African  Lands.  67 


At  the  elementary  steps  towards  civilisation 
the  Arabs  and  Bedouins  look  on  very  stub- 
bornly in  the  myriad  villages  of  the  French 
Regency  in  Tunis.  Near  to  the  hamlet  dwell- 
ings of  the  natives  stagnant  water,  heaps  of 
filthy  mire,  and  the  bodies  of  decayed  animals 
foul  the  atmosphere  and,  as  of  yore,  spread 
horrible  diseases.  When  the  inhabitants  are 
urged  to  remove  these  vile  sources  of  pestilence 
opposite  their  hovels,  in  which  the  sick  are 
lying,  they  invariably  answer :  "  We  have  always 
been  accustomed  to  leave  them  unburied." 
The  cramped,  irregular,  misnamed  streets  are 
used  for  cooking,  trading,  shambles,  and,  not 
infrequently,  to  suit  the  native  humour  of 
the  population,  grotesque  theatrical  displays. 
Morality  in  such  quarters  is  rarely  found.  Un- 
truthfulness, dishonesty,  and  treachery  prevail, 
nor  have  the  people  much  afTection  for  each 
other. 

Tunis,  the  capital  of  the  province,  is  a  city 
of  faded  glory,  vice,  and  degradation,  of  some 
140,000  inhabitants.  These  are  made  up  of 
30,000  Jews,  20,000  to  30,000  Italians,  French, 


68  A^orlh  African  Lauds. 


Arabs,  Berbers,  and  Maltese.  The  city,  five 
miles  in  circumference,  has  an  outer  wall  of 
nine  gates,  enclosing  an  inner  one,  which  has 
seven  smaller  entrances.  Famed  for  its  mag- 
nificent mosque  and  teeming  with  mosques  of 
miniature  size,  Tunis  was  built  in  an  age  when 
the  mighty  Ottoman  empire  stood  in  the  zenith 
of  its  power  and  renown.  The  Oriental  char- 
acter of  the  streets  make  a  kaleidoscopic  pano- 
rama, garnished  with  bazaars  in  the  arched, 
fretted  arcades,  and  trodden  by  the  world's 
nationalities,  through  which  strings  of  soft- 
footed  camels,  caparisoned  mules,  and  donkeys 
jostle  and  struggle  for  passage.  Arab  women 
of  rank  travel  secluded  in  closed  carriages 
accompanied  by  negresses  of  the  better  type 
veiled  or  masked  in  black,  with  the  exception 
of  a  narrow  slit  through  which  they  gaze  on 
the  busy  scene.  The  city  is  dead  to  spiritual 
life  and  its  drunkenness  is  appalling.  One  mis- 
sionary says:  "The  greatest  hindrance  to  mis- 
sionary progress  here  is  alcohol.  Friends  who 
think  that  the  Mohammedans  are  sober  people 
ought  to  come  and  spend  a  week  with  us  that 


North  African  Lands. 


69 


they  migh.t  sec  the  contrary."  Another  writes  : 
"The  longer  I  live  in  Tunis  the  more  I  sec  and 
hear  of  its  awful  wickedness."  In  this  province, 
one  of  the  darkest  throughout  North  Africa, 
thousands  upon  thousands  of  blinded  Moslems 
piously  observe  the  five  leading  injunctions  of 
the  Koran — belief  in  God,  and  Mohammed  (His 
chief  prophet),  almsgiving,  pilgrimage  to  Mecca, 
fasting  in  the  month  of  Ramadan,  and  prayer. 
It  is  interesting  to  hear  a  Mohammedan  add, 
"  if  God  will,"  whenever  he  is  about  to  make  a 
journey,  and  as  painful,  his  exclamation,  "  God 
is  great,"  in  all  kinds  of  stations  and  circum- 
stances where,  commonly,  every  vestige  of 
morality  is  denied.  In  the  haunts  and  homes 
of  these  people,  heroines  of  the  faith,  filled  with 
the  spirit  of  the  Gospel,  are  telling  of  One 
mighty  to  help  and  save. 

Slavery  is  a  national  abomination  and  in- 
iquity. Into  Tripoli,  Tunis,  Algeria,  and  Mo- 
rocco, gangs  of  slaves  are  brought  continually 
in  vast  numbers  from  the  interior  for  sale. 
Were  the  inhuman  cruelties  inflicted  on  the 
hapless  beings  adequately  known,  the  removal 


70  North  African  Lands. 


of  the  villainy  of  slave-trading  in  these  parts 
would  not  long  be  postponed.  A  sense  of  guilt  is 
shown  by  the  traders  in  the  western  provinces 
of  Morocco.  At  Fez,  the  Moorish  capital,  the 
slave  market  is  hypocritically  styled,  "  El  Soke 
Baraka,"  the  "  Market  of  Blessing,"  and  many 
of  the  slaves  bought  there  receive  affectionate 
names  by  which  slave  dealers  and  owners  try 
to  deaden  a  reproaching  conscience.  In  Mo- 
rocco the  slaves  have  one  right  only.  If  a 
master  very  brutally  outrages  his  "  chattel," 
the  victim  may  seek  redress  from  a  local  judge 
who  can  command  the  proprietor  to  sell  his 
slave.  Seldom  is  the  privilege  exercised  by 
the  captive,  lest  the  second  owner  should  prove 
worse  than  his  predecessor. 

Although  brilliant  results  have  not  hitherto 
attended  the  North  Africa  Mission,  its  mission- 
aries have  excelled  in  planting  Gospel  seeds  in 
Islamite  furrows,  in  acts  of  Christ-like  mercy, 
and,  in  beginning  the  foundation  of  the  sover- 
eign faith.  The  mission,  inaugurated  eleven 
years  ago,— previous  to  which  there  was  no 
evangelistic  organisation  occupied  in  the  great 


North  African  Lands.  71 


North  African  provinces, — has  enrolled  seventy 
workers,  opened  six  Medical  Missions,  and  in- 
itiated a  group  of  agencies  by  which  to  reclaim 
some  of  the  fourteen  million  souls  populating 
the  lands  which  skirt  the  curving  northern 
shores  of  the  Mediterranean  Sea. 


EVANGELISATION  IN  EGYPT  AND 
THE  NILE  VALLEY. 


(73) 


IV. 


EVANGELISATION  IN  EGYPT  AND^ 
THE  NILE  VALLEY. 

Brightening  signs  mark  the  progress  of 
education,  agriculture,  and  civilisation  in  Low- 
er and  Upper  Egypt, — blessings  of  a  social  and 
material  character  which  have  largely  flowed 
from  the  British  occupation  which  began  about 
seven  years  ago.  In  the  work  of  pacific  revo- 
lutionising Sir  Evelyn  Baring  and  his  distin- 
guished staff  have  done  more  in  a  very  brief 
period  than  Egypt's  rulers  did  in  long  centu- 
ries to  establish  justice,  to  raise  the  "  fellaheen  " 
from  hereditary  bondage,  and  to  develop  the 
untilled  resources  of  a  land 

"  Where  all  things  always  seem'd  the  same." 

The  regime  of  Turkey  over  Egypt,  character- 
ised too  frequently  by  oppression  and  ruinous 
taxation,  has  been  firmly  supplanted  by  a  rule 

instinct  with  the  spirit  of  humanity  and  righte- 

(75) 


76       J^gypt  <^^^cl  the  Nile  Valley. 


ousness.  Every  well-wisher  of  this  deeply  in- 
teresting  country  will  desire  to  see  her  pros- 
perity continued  under  the  sceptre  of  the  new 
sovereign,  the  young  Khedive,  Abbas  Pasha. 

The  growth  recently,  almost  phenomenal,  of 
the  public  school  system,  has  signal  value.  It 
is  scarcely  credible  that  the  earlier  unwilling- 
ness of  the  natives  to  avail  themselves  of  this 
institution  is  already  disappearing.  An  illus- 
tration of  this  is  shown  in  the  return  of  1887, 
when  there  were  only  12  Government  schools 
with  1,919  pupils,  in  contrast  to  the  number  of 
schools  in  1890, — as  far  south  as  Assour-n, — 
counted  at  47,  with  an  attendance  of  7,307,  and 
a  corresponding  increase  in  paying,  as  distinct 
from  aided,  scholars.  The  voluntary  principle 
of  the  education  offered  makes  the  improve- 
ment more  notable. 

Passing  to  the  sphere  of  evangelisation  and 
missionary  activity  the  palm  of  honour  is  car- 
ried off  easily  by  the  United  States.  The  work 
of  the  American  Presbyterians  inaugurated 
seven  and  thirty  years  since  has  been  equally 
remarkable  in  the  energy  displayed  and  the 


Egypt  and  the  Nile  Valley.  yj 


spiritual  harvest  obtained.    Far  up  the  Nile 

banks,  where 

"  Tall  Orient  shrubs,  and  obelisks 
Graven  with  emblems  of  the  time," 

abound,  they  have  laboured  with  unwearied 
ardour.  Testimonies  have  often  been  given 
by  European  tourists  of  the  religious  enthusi- 
asm of  American  missionaries  which  may 
cause  English  Christians  to  blush,  particularly 
so,  on  recalling  what  British  statesmanship  has 
achieved  for  the  material  and  national  welfare 
of  modern  Egypt. 

In  Cairo — a  base  of  Christian  aggression  — 
the  celebrated  Mohammedan  University  of  El 
Azar  is  situated,  to  which  upwards  of  10,000 
Moslem  students  resort  from  north  and  east  Af- 
rica, Turkey,  Arabia,  Persia,  and  India,  for  the 
exclusive  study  of  the  Koran  and  its  literature. 
Some  of  these  return  to  the  empires  of  the 
East  to  propagate  Moslem  doctrines,  and  oth- 
ers, in  considerable  numbers,  attach  themselves 
to  Mohammedan  leaders  in  the  Dark  Continent 
as  crusading  preachers  and  conquerors,  thus 
swelling  the  rising  tide  of  Mohammedanism 


78       Egypt  ciiid  i^is  Nile  Valley. 


setting  in  from  North  African  lands.  As  far 
back  as  i860,  in  that  most  Oriental-looking  of 
Eastern  cities — Cairo,  Miss  Mary  Whately, 
whose  death  in  March,  1890,  was  widely  la- 
mented, opened  her  British  school  on  Christian 
principles,  and,  later,  another  valuable  auxil- 
iary,— the  Medical  Mission.  With  rare  self- 
sacrifice  this  benevolent  lady,  one  of  the 
daughters  of  Archbishop  Whately,  gave,  in 
furtherance  of  these  objects,  her  entire  strength 
and  private  means.  By  the  Khedivial  Govern- 
ment and  by  every  class  of  residents  and  ofifi- 
cers  in  the  city,  these  institutions  were  appre- 
ciated. An  evidence  of  the  usefulness  of  the 
Medical  Mission  is  the  report  that  weekly, 
throughout  the  year,  more  than  300  patients 
had  relief.  The  work  of  the  late  Miss  M.  L. 
Whately  has  been  continued  by  Mrs.  Shakoorand 
the  Hon.  Diana  Vernon, — but  in  future  a  union 
with  the  Church  Missionary  Society  is  probable. 
Of  kindred  aim  in  Cairo  is  the  home  for  freed  wom- 
en slaves  which  was  instituted  several  years  ago 
by  the  British  and  Foreign  Anti-Slavery  Soci- 
ety.   Dusky  strangers  from  southern  climes  are 


Egypt  and  the  Nile  Valley.  79 


trained  within  the  home  and  remain  there  un- 
til they  are  qualified  to  enter  domestic  service 
or  are  married.  A  similar  home  has  recently 
been  organised  in  the  city  of  Tripoli,  for  refu- 
gee slave  women,  by  Ahmed  Rcssim  Pasha,  the 
enlightened  Governor-General  of  the  province 
of  Tripoli, — a  harbinger,  it  may  be  hoped,  of 
stronger  opposition  to  the  slave  trade  in  the 
surrounding  countries. 

The  missionary  occupation  of  Lower  Egypt, 
or  the  Delta,  is  painfully  insufficient  for  the 
needs  of  a  population  approaching  six  millions 
of  souls.  Of  the  400,000  inhabitants  in  Cairo 
there  are  possibly  4,000  regular  hearers  of  the 
Gospel.  The  workers  in  189 1  comprised  three 
missionaries  and  four  ladies  belonging  to  the 
English  Church  Missionary  Society,  whose  la- 
bours in  household  visitation,  in  Christian 
schools,  and  in  the  Medical  Mission,  have  been 
growingly  fruitful.  The  literary  and  medical 
departments  have  respectively  had  the  able 
superintendence  of  Drs.  Klein  and  Harpur, 
who  have  made  a  vigorous  appeal  to  the  direct- 
ors in  England  for  sixteen  additional  seed- 


So       ^gypi        i^^^  Nile  Valley. 


sowers  to  hasten  Egypt's  ingathering.  In  the 
same  city  the  United  Presbyterian  Church  of 
North  America  has  extensive  schools  and  large 
congregations,  and,  over  the  Delta,  in  five  of  ' 
the  principal  towns  and  about  a  score  of  the 
villages,  various  schools  and  small  companies 
of  worshippers.  On  this  wide  field  the  Amer- 
ican Mission  force  is  limited  to  the  efforts  of 
two  missionaries  and  four  ladies,  reckoning 
missionaries'  wives,  and  its  staff  of  devoted  na- 
tive helpers.  The  seaport  of  Alexandria,  with 
a  population  of  230,000  souls,  has  one  mission- 
ary, three  lady  visitors  to  the  harems,  a  Church 
of  Scotland  missionary  responsible  for  an  Arab 
children's  primary  school,  two  lady  missiona- 
ries engaged  in  general  services  under  General 
Haigh's  direction,  Miss  Robinson's  much  es- 
teemed Sailors'  and  Soldiers'  Institute,  and,  Mr. 
Rudolph's  visits  to  the  Jews.  Other  spiritual 
agencies  employed  on  the  Delta  include  a 
Dutch  missionary  at  Calioub,  near  Cairo,  an 
occasional  colporteur  at  Damietta,  evangelists 
for  the  Europeans  and  sailors  at  Port  Said,  and 
the  indefatigable  witness-bearers  of  the  English 


Egypt  and  the  Nile  Valley.  8i 

and  American  Bible  Societies  who  cannot  ex- 
pect very  bright  results  in  a  land  where,  it  is 
said,  only  four  or  five  per  cent,  can  recid. 

Little  has  the  extreme  spiritual  darkness  of 
the  Delta  or,  the  vastness  of  its  unoccupied 
territory,  been  realised.  Excluding  Cairo  and 
Alexandria  and  their  great  populations  and  a 
number  of  smaller  towns  whose  inhabitants 
vary  from  5,000  to  40,000  each,  there  are  thou- 
sands of  mud-built  villages  on  the  brown- 
mounds — the  remains  of  villages  of  a  bygone 
epoch,  in  which  millions  of  souls  live  wholly 
destitute  of  the  light  of  the  Gospel.  With 
the  advancing  strides  of  civilisation  the  level 
stretches  of  the  Delta,  the  threading  canals, 
the  broad  patches  of  vivid  green  large-leafed 
clover  (the  native  bcrsceni),  may  by  and  by 
become  the  centres  of  evangelical  faith.  On 
that  soil,  fertile  as  historical,  over  which  fifty 
dynasties  and  ten  nationalities  have  ruled  nearly 
seven  thousand  years,  where  generations  of  na- 
tive races  have  in  succession  been  crushed  be- 
neath the  heel  of  Assyrian,  Persian,  Roman, 
Saracen,  and  Turkish  satraps  and  despots,  the 


82       Egypt  and  the  Nile  Valley. 


prophet's  vision  must  be  fulfilled:  "And  the 
Lord  shall  be  known  to  Egypt,  and  the  Egyp- 
tians shall  know  the  Lord  in  that  day." 

To  the  shadow  which  falls  on  the  Delta  the 
brightness  of  the  day-spring  which  has  visited 
the  Nile  Valley,  south  of  Cairo,  presents  a 
cheering  contrast.  For  a  distance  of  400  miles 
up  the  Nile  which  represents  Egypt  proper, 
since  the  Equatorial  Regions  and  other  prov- 
inces stretching  from  Arabia  Petra:a  and  Syria 
to  the  western  limits  of  Darfur  in  Central  Af- 
rica, were  lost  during  the  late  Khedive's  reign, 
the  United  Presbyterians  of  North  America 
have  honoured  themselves  in  organising  the 
most  notable  and  successful  mission  on  Egyp- 
tian territory  in  modern  times.  Along  this  com- 
paratively narrow  strip  of  alluvial  soil,  hemmed 
in  by  hills  through  which  the  Nile  flows,  fringed 
Avith  green  banks  and  the  stately,  graceful 
palms,  lives  a  population  of  about  1,000,000 
people,  among  whom  the  Americans  have  toiled 
with  surprising  devotion.  On  this  riverine 
tract,  covering  districts  as  far  apart  as  Mansoora 
and  Luxor,  El  Feshn  and  Keneh,  Asyoot  and 


Egypt  and  the  Nile  Valley. 


83 


Assouan,  they  have  ninety  stations  with 
schools  attached,  or  congregations  and  schools 
united,  taught  by  native  pastors  and  teachers. 
As  proof  of  the  vitality  of  the  work  is  the  state- 
ment that  the  eighty  and  more  schools  are  en- 
tirely supported  by  the  willing  offerings  of  the 
native  congregations.  With  the  thirty-five 
congregations  and  schools  in  Cairo,  its  envi- 
rons, and  the  Delta,  the  total  membership  of 
the  native  evangelical  churches  numbers  3,200, 
making  in  1890  a  gain  of  seventeen  and  one- 
half  per  cent.  Three  years  ago  25,944  religious 
meetings  were  held  ;  the  average  Sunday  morn- 
ing attendance  at  worship  reached  4,747,  and 
the  Sunday-schools,  4,338.  For  the  privileges 
of  public  worship  and  in  aid  of  the  Zenana 
mission,  the  natives  are  liberal  contributors. 
In  the  evangelistic  department  the  native 
workers  consist  of  pastors,  licentiates,  Bible- 
readers,  theological  students,  Zenana  visitors 
upwards  of  sixty  in  number,  together  with  250 
Sunday-school  teachers;  and,  by  means  of  15 
colporteurs,  who  travel  annually  hundreds  of 
miles,  and  numerous  book  depots,  33,609  pub- 


84       Egypt  atid  the  Nile  Valley. 


lications  of  an  educational  and  religious  class 
were  sold.  The  section  devoted  to  education 
is  represented  by  5,600  pupils  in  the  Mission 
common  schools,  a  training  college  and  theo- 
logical seminary  for  pastors  and  teachers,  and 
training  schools  for  girls  which  furnish  teach- 
ers and  Zenana  workers.  By  the  attendance 
of  something  like  i,ooo  Moslem  boys  and  girls 
at  the  schools,  the  influence  of  the  Mission  is 
abundantly  testified,  and,  as  remarkably,  by 
the  baptism  of  sixty  young  men  and  women, 
formerly  Mohammedans,  into  the  Christian 
faith.  From  every  social  rank,  grade,  and  tribe 
come  the  scholars  to  receive  the  advantages  of 
an  education  imparted  in  an  ennobling,  Chris- 
tian spirit.  The  girls  are  qualified  for  the  do- 
mestic circles  as  maids  or,  for  the  position  of 
wives  in  the  homes  ;  and  the  boys  excel  as 
skilled  artisans,  if  not  selected  for  Government 
ofifices.  To  promote  the  agencies  of  this  sin- 
gularly noble  undertaking,  the  Nile  Mission 
boat,  the  Ibis,  constantly  makes  voyages  up 
and  down  the  river,  admirable  buildings  are 
being  erected,  and,  an  aggregate  staff  of  300 


Egypt  and  the  Nile  Valley. 


85 


efficient  co-labourcrs,  native  and  foreign,  en- 
gaged. 

Mainly  has  the  plough  of  the  American 
missionaries  been  turned  upon  the  Coptic 
dwellers  in  the  Nile  Valley,  who  form  with  the 
Mohammedans  a  large  proportion  of  the  popu- 
lation. On  this  fallow  ground  they  have  toiled 
and  won  bright  triumphs.  In  a  twofold  sphere 
success  has  been  reaped.  Zealous  converts 
have  been  made  and,  by  thousands  the  young 
people  have  flocked  into  the  schools.  A  wave 
of  revival  has  reached  the  Coptic  Church, — an 
ancient  branch  of  Christendom  and,  not  im- 
probably, its  restoration  may  be  graciously 
achieved  by  men  and  women  taught  in  the 
churches  of  the  American  Mission.  Upon  the 
Mohammedans  the  energy  of  the  missionaries 
has  made  an  impression.  Less  bigoted  than 
their  co-religionists  westwards,  they  have  been 
affected  by  contact  with  Europeans  and  up- 
heavals in  the  history  of  the  Soudan,  and  are, 
to-day,  more  susceptible  to  the  message  of 
Christ.    The  lines  of  the  poet : 


86 


Egypt  and  the  Nile  Valley. 


"  Neither  hide  the  ray 
From  those,  not  bhnd,  who  wait  for  day," 

have  distinct  application  to  these  followers  of 
the  False  Prophet,  from  whose  midst  a  harvest 
of  souls  may  yet  be  gathered.  In  Egypt,  "  the 
Egypt  of  the  Pharaohs  and  the  Ptolemies," 
across  whose  sandy  deserts  and  gigantic  ruins 
the  sun  has  poured  his  heat  for  uncounted 
ages,  the  heralds  of  the  Cross  are  setting  be- 
fore the  eyes  of  the  native  Mohammedans,  at 
the  close  of  the  nineteenth  century,  the  holi- 
ness and  grace  of  Christianity,  by  which  to  un- 
bar the  hearts  of  multitudes  to  the  power  of 
salvation  and  the  kingdom  of  God. 

Such  divine  success  may  receive  impetus 
from  high  places.  In  the  new  Egyptian  Min- 
istry of  1891  the  two  portfolios  of  the  Foreign 
Minister  and  the  Minister  of  Public  Instruction 
were  placed  in  the  hands  of  native  Christian 
statesmen.  Tigrane  Pasha,  the  holder  of  the 
first  named  ofifice,  is  young,  brilliant,  and,  of  in- 
dependent mind,  who,  in  the  discharge  of  two 
previous  under-secretaryships,  has  shown  emi- 
nent ability,  and  gained  the  reputation  of  being 


Egypt  and  the  Nile  Valley.  87 


a  powerful  ally.  The  second  of  these  appoint- 
ments is  held  by  Yacoub  Pasha  Art  in,  who 
signalised  his  under-secretaryship  in  the  same 
department  at  an  earlier  date  by  founding  the 
current  system  of  education  and  effecting  re- 
forms of  national  importance.  No  longer  will 
it  be  possible  to  repeat  the  indignities  to  which 
they  were  subjected  on  account  of  their  Chris- 
tian profession  by  Riaz  Pasha,  a  former  Presi- 
dent of  the  Council,  inasmuch  as  each  of  these 
distinguished  servants  of  State  will  have  the 
confidence,  which  they  enjoyed  at  the  hands  of 
the  late  Khedive,  from  his  successor. 

By  these  exalted  personages  it  is  not  un- 
reasonable to  hope  that  Christianity  will  have 
open  countenance ;  their  Mohammedan  col- 
leagues the  influence  of  Christian  manhood  ; 
the  destinies  of  Egypt  the  stamp  of  a  genuinely 
humane  policy;  and,  the  Eastern  world,  the 
rays  of  an  enlightened  rule,  before  which  "  the 
voice  of  the  oppressor "  shall  cease  and  the 
night  of  darkness  forever  be  chased  away. 


Jl 


UGANDA  UNDER  CONQUEST. 


(89) 


V. 


UGANDA  UNDER  CONQUEST. 

With  a  country  of  exceeding  fertility,  ca- 
pable of  enormous  productiveness,  and  peopled 
by  the  finest  nation  in  Africa,  Uganda,  to  the 
north-west  of  Victoria  Nyanza,  is  one  of  the 
most  powerful  kingdoms  in  East  Central  Africa. 
To  reach  Uganda  from  the  coast  at  Zanzibar 
has  involved  forced  and  desperate  marches  at- 
tended by  no  slight  peril.  The  transport  of 
goods,  confined  to  human  porterage,  and  esti- 
mated at  an  average  cost  of  £200  per  ton,  from 
the  seaboard  of  the  Indian  Ocean  to  the  lake 
region,  has  been  unusually  trying  and  burden- 
some. By  this  primitive  mode  of  carriage  the 
journey  has  required  four  months  for  accom- 
plishment. To  carry  250  tons  a  sum  of  iS'50,- 
000  must  be  paid  to  1,000  men,  slaves  as  a  rule, 
hired  out  by  slave-owners  to  do  the  work. 
Pledged  to  the  total  suppression  of  slavery 

(91) 


92         Uganda  under  Conquest. 


the  British  East  Africa  Company  has  utilised 
this  form  of  contract  to  the  slave's  advantage, 
and  upwards  of  4,000  slaves  have  effected  their 
emancipation  by  the  proceeds  of  transit  labour. 
"Where  necessary  they  have  likewise  secured 
the  protection  offered  in  the  freed  slave  settle- 
ments. On  the  construction  of  the  projected 
railroad  for  which  a  survey  is  in  progress  the 
inhuman  practice  of  enslaving  captives  will 
have  received  in  the  sphere  of  British  influence 
its  desired  overthrow  :  the  rescue  of  slaves  will 
be  more  frequent,  caravan  routes  severed,  and, 
a  distinct  beginning  made  towards  the  exter- 
mination of  the  life-curse  which  has  lain  for 
long  ages  on  the  face  of  the  Dark  Continent. 
It  is  calculated  that  the  railway  system,  extend- 
ing from  the  sea-coast  to  the  Victoria  Nyanza, 
will  measure  something  like  500  miles.  In 
leading  this  admirable  enterprise  the  British 
East  Africa  Company, — a  governing  corpora- 
tion engaged  in  the  work  of  developing  and 
opening  routes  for  British  trade  and  the  com- 
merce of  the  world, — will  more  efTectively  cover 
a  coast  line  of  over  400  miles  and,  stretching 


Uganda  under  Conquest. 


93 


from  800  to  1,000  miles  into  the  interior.  This 
extensive  area  is  amazingly  rich  in  natural  re- 
sources and  in  its  normal  condition  supports 
large  herds  of  cattle,  supplies  grain  in  excess 
of  the  needs  of  its  ordinary  population,  and,  is 
susceptible  of  bearing  an  increased  variety  of 
agricultural  produce.  In  contact  with  the  mill- 
ions of  semi-barbarians,  civilisation  is  already 
creating  wants,  chiefly  of  textile  manufacture, 
which  will  certainly  be  multiplied  by  the  intro- 
duction of  industries  necessitating  much  inter- 
change of  commodities. 

The  circle  of  missionary  endeavour  has  no 
more  romantic  narrative  than  that  written  on 
the  field  of  heathendom  in  Uganda.  Since  the 
month  of  November,  1875,  when  Mr.  Stanley's 
challenge  to  Christendom  appeared  in  a  Lon- 
don newspaper,  heroically  brave  soldiers  of  the 
Cross  have  waged  battle  for  its  conquest. 
Seven  months  after  the  call  for  missionaries 
had  been  made  the  first  mission  party  of  the 
English  Church  Missionary  Society  had  arrived 
at  Zanzibar,  where  preparations  were  promptly 
in  hand  for  the  march  inland.    Through  what 


94  Ugatida  tinder  Co)iqiicst. 


periods  of  light  and  shade  their  labours  have 
passed  in  Uganda  the  world  has  gleaned  from 
letters  and  diaries  of  tragic  interest.  The 
promising  opening  of  the  mission  was  darkened 
by  the  murder  of  Lieutenant  Smith  and  Mr. 
O'Neill  and,  two  years  later,  the  hostile  influ- 
ence of  Arab  traders  and  the  coming  of  several 
French  Romish  priests  prejudiced  Mtesa,  the 
king,  against  the  English  missionaries.  At 
the  close  of  1879  the  missionaries  were  shocked 
at  the  king's  return  to  heathen  customs.  The 
following  year  the  reduced  band  of  evangelists 
quietly  pursued  their  task  of  sowing  the  Word 
among  the  native  population.  By  the  month 
of  March,  1881,  the  Uganda  envoys  returned 
from  England,  the  storm-cloud  lifted,  impetus 
was  given  to  the  campaign,  and  fresh  reinforce- 
ments arrived.  The  first  converts,  five  in 
number,  were  baptised  on  the  18th  of  March, 
1882,  the  reaping  continuing  in  spite  of  the 
Monarch's  doubtful  attitude.  In  1884,  Mtesa, 
after  a  reign  of  twenty-seven  years,  died,  and, 
one  evidence  of  the  hold  which  the  mission- 
aries had  upon  the  court  and  chiefs,  was  their 


Uganda  under  Conquest.  95 


prevention  of  the  barbaric  cruelties  which  had 
been  enacted  for  centuries  in  connexion  with 
a  sovereign's  funeral  obsequies. 

Mwanga's  accession  to  the  throne  was  the 
beginning  of  a  series  of  events  of  a  chequered 
character.  As  the  murderer  of  Bishop  Hanning- 
ton  and  the  Christian  "readers,"  in  1886, 
Mwanga's  name  was  tarnished  with  a  bloody 
memory.  That  calamity  stirred  Christendom 
throughout  its  length  and  breadth  and  evoked 
profound  sympathy  with  the  cause  of  African 
missions.  Dark  days  of  persecution  and  mas- 
sacre rapidly  succeeded  one  another,  the  mis- 
sionaries in  the  meantime,  Mackay,  notably, 
suffering  great  hardships.  From  conscience  or 
policy  Mwanga,  in  1888,  looked  with  favour 
on  the  Revs.  E.  C.  Gordon  and  R.  H.  Walker, 
and  every  hope  was  entertained  of  progress. 
In  the  same  year  Mwanga  was  dethroned  by  a 
revolution  and  the  sceptre  placed  in  the  hands 
of  his  brother  K'iwewa,  who  was  deposed  and 
murdered  by  the  Arab  party,  and  another 
brother,  named  Kilema,  invested  with  kingly 
rank.    This  puppet  of  evil  masters  commenced 


96  Uganda  tinder  Conquest. 


his  rule  by  slaughtering  all  his  princely- 
brothers  and  sisters,  and,  with  one  exception, 
Mwanga's  immediate  kindred.  The  king's 
deeds  of  blood  swiftly  recoiled  on  his  own  for- 
tunes! In  his  banishment  the  exile  Mwanga 
took  refuge  with  the  French  missionaries  at 
the  south  end  of  Victoria  Nyanza,  where  he 
eagerly  seconded  their  plans  to  reinstate  him 
in  Uganda.  His  allied  fugitives  associated 
with  the  French  teachers  next  attacking  Ki- 
lema  in  two  pitched  battles, — one  at  Uddu  and 
another  across  the  Katonga,  in  which  they  were 
victorious.  Mwanga  subsequently  joined  these 
assailants  arid  after  alternate  defeats  and  suc- 
cesses regained  the  throne.  It  should  be 
chronicled  to  the  undying  honour  of  Mr. 
Mackay  that  although  he  was  pressingly  urged 
when  exiled  at  Usambiro  to  encourage  the 
Protestant  native  converts  to  unite  themselves 
with  Kilema's  ^oes,  he  unhesitatingly  opposed 
the  stratagem.  By  the  death  of  Kilema,  his 
predecessor  reigns  without  a  rival,  nor  has  he 
any  successor,  save  in  the  person  of  a  little  son, 
a  few  years  old.    Amid  these  struggles  the 


Uganda  under  Conquest.  97 


country  was  in  a  sorry  condition.  An  explorer 
who  travelled  through  it  spoke  of  the  desola- 
tion which  starvation  and  bloodshed  had  pro- 
duced. This  eye-witness  questioned  whether 
at  the  head  of  the  kingdom  "  there  ever  was  a 
man  more  unfitted  to  rule  a  country  (than 
Mwanga),  as  he  takes  absolutely  no  interest  in 
the  welfare  of  his  people,  but  only  thinks  of 
his  ov/n  safety  and  personal  comforts.  Banana 
groves  and  several  small  coffee  plantations  were 
choked  up  with  long  grass  and  in  a  dreadful 
state  of  neglect.  Human  remains  and  broken 
shields  were  scattered  along  the  path,  and 
everything  bore  signs  of  the  recent  troubles." 

To  complete  the  picture  of  i8go  it  will  natu- 
rally be  assumed  that  Mwanga  was  the  nominee 
of  the  Catholic  party.  At  heart  he  was  a  ruler 
by  expediency  who  would  have  crushed  both 
Catholics  and  Protestants  if  it  had  been  within 
his  power,  and,  on  the  other  hand,  the  natives  of 
Uganda,  had  they  possessed  a  prince  of  Mtesa's 
line,  would  have  put  forward  his  claims.  The 
design  of  the  French  agents  to  have  political 
control  in  Uganda  has  created  endless  bitter- 


98         Uganda  under  Conquest. 


ness  between  the  Protestant  and  Catholic 
converts,  again  inflamed  in  1891-2,  conse- 
quent upon  the  representatives  of  the  British 
East  Africa  Company  administering  justice 
irrespective  of  class  or  tribe.  The  one  bright 
spot  in  the  train  of  these  disasters  was  the 
treaty  which  Mwanga  made  at  Mcngo,  May  16, 
1890,  with  the  signatories,  Pere  Simeon  Lour- 
del  (since  dead),  of  the  Algerian  Missions,  and 
Dr.  Carl  Peters, — that  slave  dealing  and  the 
exportation  of  slaves  from  territory  under  his 
jurisdiction,  should  be  forbidden.  With  Dr, 
Felkin's  remarks  on  the  question  of  the  Romish 
invasion  in  Uganda  most  readers  will  be  in 
hearty  accord.  Rewrites:  "  One  cannot  help 
believing  that  in  uncivilised  countries,  such  as 
Uganda,  missions  of  various  denominations 
should  not  encroach  one  upon  the  other. 
Probably  ecclesiastics  may  differ  on  this  point ; 
still  it  can  hardly  be  doubted  that  had  the 
Protestants,  who  first  entered  Uganda,  been 
permitted  to  carry  on  their  work  without  the  dis- 
ruption caused  by  the  subsequent  introduction 
of  an  apparently  new  religion,  much  would  have 


Uganda  under  Conquest.  99 


been  different,  and  the  undoubted  advantages 
which  the  Protestants  possessed  in  1880  might 
have  served  to  prevent  the  intrigues  which  led 
to  such  loss  of  life." 

In  1890  Bishop  Tucker,  the  third  Bishop  of 
Equatorial  Africa,  reached  Usambiro  after  a 
rough  journey.  Arriving  in  Uganda  he  per- 
ceived the  jealousy  of  the  French  Roman  Cath- 
olic missionaries  and,  the  uneasiness  of  the 
people,  lest  the  Mohammedans  should  invade 
Mwanga's  dominions.  With  the  enthusiasm 
of  the  Protestant  converts  he  was  overjoyed, 
of  which  he  wrote  on  December  30,  1890: 
"  Truly,  the  half  was  not  told  me.  Exagger- 
ation about  the  eagerness  of  the  people  here 
to  be  taught,  there  has  been  none.  No  words 
can  describe  the  emotion  which  filled  my  heart 
as  on  Sunday,  the  28th,  I  stood  up  to  speak 
to  fully  1,000  men  and  women,  who  crowded 
the  church  of  Buganda.  It  was  a  wonderful 
sight !  There,  close  beside  me,  was  the  Kati- 
kiro,  the  second  man  in  the  kingdom.  There, 
on  every  hand,  were  chiefs  of  various  degrees, 
all  Christian  men,  and  all  in  their  demeanour 


lOO        Uganda  tinder  Conquest. 


devout  and  earnest  to  a  high  degree.  The  re- 
sponses in  their  lieartiness  were  beyond  every- 
thing I  have  heard  even  in  Africa.  There  was 
a  second  service  in  the  afternoon,  at  which 
there  must  have  been  fully  800  present.  The 
same  earnest  attention  was  apparent  and  the 
same  spirit  of  devotion.  I  can  never  be  suf- 
ficiently thankful  to  God  for  the  glorious  priv- 
ilege of  being  permitted  to  preach  to  these 
dear  members  of  Christ's  flock."  The  Bishop 
set  apait  in  January,  J891,  six  natives  as  lay 
evangelists,  who  will  be  entirely  supported  by 
the  native  church.  Hopes  are  cherished  that 
shortly  they  may  become  candidates  for  the 
order  of  the  clergy.  Unlimited  possibilities 
seem  to  be  within  the  compass  of  the  Chris- 
tians of  Uganda.  Taught  by  each  other  it 
appears  that  numbers  of  the  converts  have 
never  had  the  advantage  of  a  white  teacher, 
while,  as  pleasing,  is  the  desire  of  native  con- 
verts to  support  the  ministry  in  their  midst. 
The  Bishop  was  partly  successful  in  negotiating 
pledges  for  more  amicable  relations  between 
the  two  divisions  into  which  the  Christians 


Uganda  tinder  Conquest.  loi 


have  ranged  themselves.  About  the  middle 
of  1891  Bishop  Tucker  made  a  hurried  visit  to 
England  to  secure  40  volunteer  missionaries, 
and  to  hold  conferences  with  the  committee 
respecting  future  policy  in  Uganda.  His  ad- 
dresses aroused  great  interest  in  the  United 
Kingdom,  followed  by  promises  of  large  sub- 
scriptions and  offers  of  service.  The  tidings 
of  missionary  progress  in  Uganda  were  con- 
firmed later  by  the  Rev.  E.  C.  Gordon,  on  fur- 
lough from  Uganda.  He  spoke  of  the  influ- 
ence which  the  Protestant  chiefs  and  converts, 
though  inferior  numerically  to  the  Roman 
Catholics,  exerted,  by  their  strong  character 
and  fidelity.  In  their  wish  to  learn  the  truth 
they  were  most  earnest  and  had  built  houses 
for  the  missionaries  and  a  church  of  consider- 
able size.  The  results  of  the  work,  in  every 
way,  were  marvellous.  From  the  Church  Mis- 
sionary Society's  directors,  Mr.  Gordon  had  a 
hearty  greeting.  This  splendid  missionary 
sailed  with  his  uncle,  the  martyr-bishop  Han- 
nington,  at  whose  suggestion  Cyril  Gordon  left 
wife  and  friends  behind  in  entering  on  the  haz- 


102        Uganda  under  Conquest. 


ardous  "  call  "  to  the  Dark  Continent.  Leaving 
England  together  in  1882, — the  following  year, 
Hannington  was  driven  back  by  fever,  but 
again  returned  in  1884  to  the  land  he  had 
learned  to  love,  as  first  bishop  in  Eastern 
Equatorial  Africa.  At  the  time  of  Hanning- 
ton's  tragical  fate  Gordon  was  spared,  and 
through  nine  long  years  heroically  toiled.  One 
may  write  of  him  : 

"  For  where  he  fixt  his  heart  he  set  his  hand 
To  do  the  thing  he  will'd,  and  bore  it  thro'." 

Upon  Gordon's  vigorous  constitution  the  cli- 
mate and  trials  have  furrowed  deep  marks. 
His  testimony  shows  that  Mr.  Stanley's  trib- 
utes to  Alexander  Mackay's  splendid  la- 
bours in  Uganda  were  not  exaggerated  and, 
worthy  of  a  race  some  of  whom  had  refused 
for  Christ's  sake  the  personal  advantage  of  be- 
ing made  chieftains,  and,  of  others,  who  had 
endured  scorching  persecution,  and  had  per- 
sisted in  cherishing  a  Christian  profession  at 
the  peril  of  their  lives. 

Zeal  in  England  for  the  Uganda  Mission 


Uganda  tmder  Conquest.  103 


was  tested  and  crowned  late  in  1891.  The 
Directors  of  the  British  East  Africa  Company 
finding  that  their  financial  outlay  in  Uganda 
was  heavy  and  without  adequate  return,  had  re- 
solved to  withdraw,  a  step  which  intensified  the 
risk  of  the  missionaries  and  their  settlements. 
Captain  Lugard,  that  brave  man,  whose  tact, 
energy,  sagacity,  and  resources  had,  in  1891, 
saved  Uganda  from  being  torn  to  pieces  by 
internecine  strife,  if  not  devoured  by  coast 
Arabs  or,  the  Mahdi's  vedettes,  was  recalled. 
To  avert  this  contingency  the  Company  offered 
to  advance  a  large  amount  of  money  if  the 
Society's  friends  would  guarantee  a  similar 
amount.  Enough  to  add,  that  the  supporters 
of  the  Uganda  crusade  grandly  responded,  a 
proof  of  the  enthusiasm  which  the  work  in 
prospect  and  achieved  in  Uganda,  had  inspired. 
It  would  have  .been  pitiable  if  this  most  inter- 
esting of  the  African  tribes  had  been  forsaken 
in  the  hour  of  trial  when  so  many  had  attested 
their  faith  by  martyrdom  and  others  were  pre- 
pared to  endure  hardship  for  the  Cross. 

On  the  eve  of  departure  for  Africa  in  De- 


I04         Uganda  tinder  Conquest. 


cembcr,  1891,  Bishop  Tucker  appealed  to  Cliris- 
tian  and  philanthropic  people  of  the  United 
Kingdom  to  enable  the  missionaries  to  place  a 
steel  steamboat  on  the  Victoria  Nyanza,  the  cost 
of  which  and  her  provision  for  two  years  would 
amount  to  ^25,000.  Except  the  laying  of  a 
railway  no  more  potent  instrument  could  be 
utilised  for  the  destruction  of  slavery  and  the 
slave  trade, — the  greatest  curse  which  afflicted 
humanity  in  Central  Africa  ;  than  a  powerful 
steamer,  far  superior  to  the  small  steel  sailing 
vessel  en  route  for  the  lake.  The  steamer 
vv'ould  serve  for  police  purposes,  the  interests 
of  the  natives,  and,  of  civilisation  generally.  In 
particular  it  would  be  a  grand  agent  in  ex- 
tending to  the  regions  beyond,  the  priceless 
blessings  of  Christianity. 

Touchingly  the  Bishop  alluded  to  a  con- 
ference of  six  men,  some  five  years  back,  on 
the  southern  shore  of  the  Victoria  Nyanza. 
The  topic  of  these  heroes  who  had  consecrated 
their  lives  to  the  service  of  their  fellow-crea- 
tures was  the  need  of  a  steamer  for  lake  navi- 
gation.   They  unanimously  agreed  that  the 


Uganda  under  Conquest.  105 


craft  was  indispensable  if  the  work  was  to  go 
forward  effectively.  Three  of  the  six  men, 
Henry  Perrot  Parker,  the  second  bishop  of 
Equatorial  Africa,  who  presided  over  the  con- 
ference ;  Henry  Blackburn,  and  Alexander 
Mackay,  now  lie  in  their  graves,  less  than  100 
yards  from  the  very  spot  where  their  confer- 
ence was  held.  The  names  of  the  three  sur- 
vivors are  Robert  H,  Walker,  Robert  P.  Ashe, 
and  Douglas  Hooper.  Mackay  had  himself 
undertaken  to  build  the  vessel  and,  with  iron 
will  he  toiled  beneath  the  fierce  rays  of  an 
African  sun  for  its  consummation.  The  task 
was  beyond  the  strength  of  this  crusader  of 
missions,  who  fell  in  the  forge  as  nobly  as  any 
hero-warrior  on  the  battle  field.  Riveting  the 
plates  of  the  boiler  he  was  seized  with  a  chill 
which  alas,  proved  fatal,  on  the  8th  of  Febru- 
ary, 1890. 

It  cannot  be  long  ere  the  funds  are  sub^ 
scribed  for  the  realisation  of  Mackay's  sacred 
ambition,  "  that  marvellous  dream  of  the  Em- 
press of  Uganda,  who  saw  a  beautiful  boat 
with  white  wings  spread  out  like  a  great  sea- 


io6        Uganda  under  Conquest. 


bird  sailing  over  the  waters  of  the  Nyanza 
with  a  white  man  seated  in  the  stern  looking 
at  the  land."  On  the  project  of  such  a  vessel 
the  missionary's  heart  was  set  and,  for  it  he 
gave  up  his  life.  Than  the  erection  and  dis- 
patch of  this  craft  no  grander  memorial  could 
be  raised  to  commemorate  Mackay's  sacrifices 
on  behalf  of  "  many  millions  of  mankind  whose 
civilisation  is  perhaps  the  brightest  realistic 
vision  of  this  century."  Together  with  com- 
rades of  heroic  fortitude  his  dust  lies  on  the 
pebbly  shores  of  Victoria  Nyanza.  The  ser- 
vices to  humanity  of  these  brave  men  are  o'er, 
they  have  entered  into  rest,  and  yet,  in  the 
tide  of  coming  years,  their  dauntless  faith  will 
be  as  a  living  inspiration  to  Christian  nations. 
These  "dead,  but  unconquerable"  witnesses 
have  attested  that : 

"  The  path  of  duty  was  the  way  to  glory  : 
He,  that  ever  following  her  commands, 
On  with  toil  of  heart  and  knees  and  hands. 
Thro'  the  long  gorge  to  the  far  light  has  won 
His  path  upward,  and  prevail'd, 
Shall  find  the  toppling  crags  of  Duty  scaled 
Are  close  upon  the  shining  table-lands 
To  which  our  God  Himself  is  moon  and  sun." 


THE  UNIVERSITIES'  MISSION  TO 
CENTRAL  AFRICA. 


(107) 


• 


VI. 


THE   UNIVERSITIES'  MISSION  TO 
CENTRAL  AFRICA. 

Stirred  by  the  missionary  trumpet-calls  of 
the  great  Livingstone  in  1857,  numbers  of 
heroic  souls  went  forth  from  the  English  Uni- 
versities to  give  the  Gospel  to  the  African  race. 
The  time  is  now  historic  when  Dr.  Livingstone 
was  accompanied  by  Charles  Frederick  Mac- 
kenzie, Archdeacon  of  Natal,  afterwards  con- 
secrated first  bishop  of  the  mission  at  Cape 
town,  January  i,  1861.  In  the  train  of  these 
master-pioneers  came  a  saintly  band  of  grad- 
uates whose  ordinations  at  Cambridge,  Ox- 
ford, and  Canterbury  were  memorable  events, 
where  the  famous  Bishop  Wilberforce  pro- 
nounced glowing  benedictions  on  the  work 
and  the  Master's  servants  of  peace  and  joy. 

Through  the  intervening  years  of  splendid 

self-denial,  thirty-six  young  men  and  maidens, 

the  flower  of  English  birth,  culture,  and  piety, 

(109) 


iio       The  Universities  Mission 


have  found  rest  in  African  graves.  This  mar- 
tyr circle  is  increased  by  the  decease  of  Arch- 
deacon Goodyear,  whose  spirit  fled  at  Magila, 
on  the  24th  of  June,  1889.  Mournful  recol- 
lections entwine  themselves  with  the  vanished 
years.  Seldom  do  the  voyagers  up  the  Zam- 
besi waterway  fail  to  pause  at  the  simple  tomb 
of  Dr.  Livingstone's  wife,  beneath  the  baobab 
tree  at  Shapunga,  or  before  the  grave  of  Bishop 
Mackenzie,  at  Mlolo,  where  the  Ruo  joins  the 
Shir6.  After  one  brief  year  of  sowing,  the  in- 
trepid bishop  fell  from  exposure  and  fatigue, 
in  January,  1862;  his  loss  being  greatly  la- 
mented. The  inscription  on  the  brass  plate 
afifixed  to  the  cross  which  stands  over  his  dust 
reads : 

Here  Lieth 
Chas.  Fred.  Mackenzie, 

Missionary  Bishop, 
who  died  January  31,  1862. 


"A  follower  of  him,  who  was  anointed  to  preach 
deliverance  to  the  captive,  and  to  set  at 
hberty  them  that  are  bruised. " 


to  Central  Africa. 


I  I  1 


The  growth  of  the  Universities'  Mission, 
wliich  is  closely  identified  with  the  Oxford, 
Cambridge,  Durham,  and  London  Universities, 
and  the  Enghsh  dioceses,  has  been  on  the 
whole  remarkably  progressive.  All  along  the 
line  of  its  operations  a  great  advance  was  re- 
ported during  the  last  decade.  The  teaching 
staff,  English  and  African,  was  under  forty  in 
1880,  with  an  annual  income  of  ^6,000  ;  four 
years  later,  the  receipts  amounted  to  ^^"8,000, 
the  workers  then  numbering  eighty.  In  1888 
there  was  a  notable  increase,  comprising  in 
numbers  an  aggregate  of  i  bishop,  25  English 
and  2  African  clergy,  25  laymen,  20  ladies,  and 
32  native  readers  and  teachers — 105  in  all, 
with  a  financial  return  of  ^16,280.  The  whole 
of  the  funds  are  sent  to  the  bishop,  who  dis- 
burses them  according  to  his  ovv'n  judgment. 
From  1881  to  1888  a  sum  of  £\o'j,ooo  was  ex- 
pended in  miscellaneous  outlays. 

For  its  aggressive  labours  there  are  four 
bases,  respectively  situated  on  the  eastern  shore 
of  Lake  Nyasa,  with  Lukoma  Island  as  the 
headquarters ;  the  Rovuma  River,  of  which 


1 1 2       The  Universities  Mission 


Newala  is  the  central  station  ;  Zanzibar  Island 
and  the  Usambara  country  represented  by 
Magila.  Through  its  fourteen  stations  it  is 
estimated  that  the  influence  of  the  mission 
covers  an  area  of  twenty-five  thousand  square 
miles.  Principles  not  inferior  to  those  of  a 
Gregory  or  a  Francis  control  its  polity.  These 
are  :  (i)  to  have  no  resort  to  civil  government ; 
(2)  not  to  seek  after  political  power;  (3)  to 
have  nothing  to  do  with  annexation.  With 
these  are  united  the  system  of  voluntary  work- 
ers and  of  community  life  in  its  active  aspect. 
In  a  debate,  in  1889,  in  the  House  of  Lords, 
on  British  Missionaries  in  East  Africa,  Viscount 
Halifax  said  :  "There  was  no  nobler  record  of 
work  done  for  God,  or  with  a  more  absolute 
and  entire  sacrifice  of  self,  than  was  to  be  found 
in  the  history  of  that  mission."  To  the  credit 
of  its  heralds,  the  Universities'  Mission  "had 
already  succeeded  in  setting  a  great  part  of  the 
African  continent  moving  onward  in  a  new 
path." 

Pioneered  by  Dr.  Livingstone  the  first  settle- 
ment was  northeast  of  Blantyre,  at  Magomero, 


to  Central  A frica. 


in  July,  1861.  In  1862  it  was  resolved,  when 
disease  had  carried  off  Bishop  Mackenzie  and 
several  comrades,  to  transplant  the  station  to 
Chibisas  on  the  Shire.  This  spot  was  scarcely 
less  disastrous  and  fatal.  Under  the  direction 
of  Bishop  Tozer,  the  successor  of  Mackenzie,  a 
sphere  was  chosen  on  Mount  Morambala,  ad- 
joining the  confluence  of  the  Shire  and  Zam- 
besi. Again  climatic  troubles  thickly  befell 
the  witness-bearers,  which  led  Bishop  Tozer  to 
make  an  exodus  to  Zanzibar,  in  the  hope  of 
founding  Christian  homesteads  on  the  mainland 
and  in  training  redeemed  slave  children.  It 
was  in  1864  that  the  bishop  was  reinforced  by 
that  grand  missionary,  Dr.  Steere,  and,  together, 
in  comparative  obscurity,  these  yokefellows 
from  1864  to  1874  laid  broad  and  deep  the  cor- 
ner-stones of  the  mission  in  the  power  of  faith. 

In  1874  Bishop  Tozer  resigned,  exhausted 
and  shattered  in  health,  and  the  same  year 
Edward  Steere  was  appointed  third  bishop  of 
the  mission.  By  his  polished,  intellectual  gifts, 
disciplined  religious  character,  physical  strength, 
and  deep,  human  sympathies,  Bishop  Steere 


114        ^-^^  Universities  Mission 


was  finely  endowed  for  the  commission  on 
which  his  mark  has  been  incffaceably  stamped. 
With  unconsumable  ardour  he  threw  himself 
"  against  the  desolating  ignorance  and  barbar- 
ism of  the  East  African  coast  and  the  districts 
which  supply  the  bulk  of  the  slave  trade."  He 
swerved  from  no  kind  of  labour.  The  bishop 
was  quite  as  expert  as  carpenter,  compositor, 
printer,  bricklayer,  and  architect,  as  he  was 
ably  equipped  in  the  departments  of  organis- 
ing, negotiation,  philology,  and  scholarship. 
Gifted  with  a  striking  personality  and  rare 
charm  of  address,  he  drew  about  himself  a 
group  of  men  having  the  soul  of  heroism,  whose 
exalted  lives  and  deeds  were  in  reputation 
throughout  East  Central  Africa.  Early  in  his 
missionary  career  the  bishop  reduced  the  Swa- 
hili  and  Yao  tongues  to  a  written  form.  Dic- 
tionaries, grammars,  manuals,  and  story-books 
issued  from  his  hand,  the  latter  entertaining 
the  natives  and  familiarizing  their  intercourse 
with  the  Europeans.  The  greater  labours  of 
this  apostolic  man  were  directed  to  the  trans- 
lation into  the  Swahili  of  the  New  Testament, 


to  Central  Africa. 


the  Old  Testament  from  Genesis  to  Isaiah,  and 
the  Book  of  Common  Prayer.  By  Archdeacon 
Hodgson,  who  has  latterly  been  obliged  to 
withdraw  from  the  mission,  the  unfinished 
translation  of  the  Old  Testament  has  been 
completed,  an  achievement  which  will  lastingly 
associate  his  name  with  that  of  the  distin- 
guished bishop.  Said  Bishop  Steere,  "  Our 
work  must  be  all  unsound  without  a  vernacular 
Bible."  His  prolonged  travels  on  foot  in  the 
formation  of  missions,  visiting  chiefs,  rescuing 
slaves,  and  sustaining  stations,  well-nigh  defy 
credibility,  and,  to  his  memory,  the  Slave  Mar- 
ket Church  at  Zanzibar  is  a  worthy  monument. 
Referring  to  this  edifice,  on  whose  site  thou- 
sands of  slaves  were  annually  sold,  the  late  Sir 
Bartle  Frere  remarked  :  "  It  seemed  to  him  and 
others  as  the  fulfilment  of  a  beautiful  dream, 
which  seemed  hardly  possible  ten  or  twelve 
years  ago,  when  he  saw  the  market-place  at 
Zanzibar,  a  filthy  place,  crowded  with  slaves, 
laid  out  side  by  side  in  hopeless  despondency, 
without  a  smile  on  their  face,  without  a  symp- 
tom of  humanity  about  them  besides  the  out- 


Ii6        The  Universities  Mission 


ward  form.  It  was  almost  impossible  to  be- 
lieve that  where  these  scores  and  scores  of 
slaves  were  then  stretched  out  there  was  now 
a  cathedral."  In  this  sanctuary  which  the 
bishop's  own  skill  raised  he  (the  bishop)  was 
buried  in  1882,  two  years  after  the  celebration 
of  the  first  holy  communion  within  its  walls. 
It  was  on  the  27th  day  of  August  of  the  same 
year  that  Bishop  Steere,  a  prince  among  mis- 
sionaries, fell  asleep  at  Zanzibar.  For  nine- 
teen years  he  had  served  the  mission,  eight  of 
which  were  embraced  by  the  bishopric.  One 
of  those  who  plough  deep  furrows  in  the  field 
of  the  world's  soil,  his  affection  for  East  Africa 
was  not  exceeded  by  the  fabled  love  of  Ulysses 
for  his  rugged  Ithaca. 

Work  for  God  was  commenced  in  succession 
at  Magila,  thirty  miles  north-west  of  Pangani, 
and  at  Masasi,  north  of  the  Rovuma,  and,  upon 
the  desolation  of  the  Masasi  station  in  1882  by 
the  terrible  Magvvangwara, — the  vandals  of  the 
southern  Rovuma, — the  headquarters  of  the 
mission  were  located  at  Newala,  100  miles  in- 
land from  the  coast  town  of  Lindi. 


to  Central  A frica. 


117 


Eminently  treading  in  the  footsteps  of  Bish- 
op Steere  on  the  eastern  shores  of  Nyasa,  the 
record  of  the  Rev.  P.  W.  Johnson,  who  entered 
the  Universities'  mission  field  in  1876,  illus- 
trates the  type  of  man  by  whom  : — 

"  The  doorways  of  the  dark  are  broken." 

For  two  years  he  toiled  solitarily  at  Mwembe, 
until  Mtaka  expelled  him  in  1881.  The  year 
following,  together  with  the  Rev.  C.  A.  Janson, 
he  journeyed  to  Chitejis,  on  Lake  Nyasa,  where 
his  co-labourer  died.  Upwards  of  eighteen 
months  sadly  alone  and  in  hourly  peril  he 
proclaimed  "  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ." 
To  his  necessities  the  members  of  the  Free 
Church  at  Bandawe,  on  the  opposite  coast, 
often  ministered  previous  to  Mr.  Johnson's 
collapse,  worn  out  by  toilsome  exertions.  At 
Quillimane  on  furlough,  his  sight  totally  failed 
him  and,  on  its  partial  restoration  he  embarked 
for  England,  where,  by  generous  donations  a 
sum  of  ^4,000  was  subscribed  for  the  CJiarles 
Janson  missionary  vessel.  A  companion  boat, 
the  Nyassa  steam-launch,  has  since  been  floated 


ii8        The  Uiiivers'ilies  JMission 


on  th.c  blue  waters  of  leafy-fringed  Nyasa.  Of 
his  calling  this  much-tried  missionary  has  said: 
"  We  have  on  the  water  a  grand  sphere  of  in- 
dependent influence,  helping  chiefs  and  their 
people  ;  slavers  and  the  oppressed  all  need  help 
alike,  none  can  be  lopped  off  by  us,  while  none 
welcome  us  wholly." 

At  Magila,  the  centre  of  the  territory  where 
the  Arabs  and  Germans  have  been  oft  antago- 
nists, and  also  the  region  in  which  the  Bondei 
and  Masai  wage  bloody  feuds,  Christianity  has 
won  eventful  triumphs.  Near  to  these  districts 
are  the  four  stations  Umba,  Mkuzi,  Msaraka, 
and  Misozwc.  Here  invaluable  help  was  ren- 
dered by  Archdeacon  Farler,  whose  enforced 
retirement  through  physical  weakness  has  been 
sincerely  deplored.  Of  this  mission  ground 
the  Earl  of  Dundonald  wrote  :  "  The  missions 
at  Magila  are  doing  a  noble  work.  Surround- 
ing them  is  a  population  over  whom  they  exer- 
cise a  great  influence.  In  their  churches  the 
heathen  are  taught  the  existence  of  a  God  ; 
in  their  schools  are  taught  the  sons  of  the 
chiefs,  who  will  rule  over  important  tribes  ;  in 


to  Central  Africa. 


their  workshops  are  taught  useful  handicrafts  ; 
in  their  hospitals  the  sickness  of  the  people  is 
alleviated."  Right  nobly  did  the  missionaries 
stand  by  the  native  Christians  amid  the  hostil- 
ities of  1889  in  their  neighbourhood. 

Kiungani  College,  for  the  education  of  a  na- 
tive ministry — a  cherished  project  of  Bishop 
Steere's — was  opened  in  1888.  Under  the  shad- 
ows of  the  lovely  St.  John's  Church  at  Mbweni, 
south  of  Kiungani,  the  numerous  agencies  em- 
ployed in  training  and  supporting  hundreds  of 
(reed  slaves  enjoy  growing  prosperity.  At  the 
several  mission  centres  the  European  mission- 
aries are  thus  distributed  :  at  Zanzibar,  10 ; 
Kiungani,  7  ;  Mbweni,  10  ;  Lake  Nyasa,  9  ; 
Rovuma,  6  ;  and  at  Magila,  18.  On  his  visit  to 
England  in  1891,  Archdeacon  Maples,  an  admi- 
rable missionary-witness,  stated  that  they  were 
training  a  native  ministry  which  in  time  would 
enable  the  English  missionaries  to  withdraw 
and  leave  the  work  in  the  hands  of  African 
teachers  and  preachers.  Notwithstanding  their 
slow  progress,  there  was  a  large  band' of  Afri- 
can workers,  both  men  and  women,  formerly 


I20       The  Universities  Mission 


released  slaves,  who  were  doing  excellent  serv- 
ice, while  a  native  ordained  minister  was  at 
present  working  with  much  greater  success 
than  any  of  the  white  missionaries. 

Charles  Alan  Smythies,  the  fourth  bishop, 
consecrated  on  November  30,  1883,  has  worn 
with  distinction  the  mantle  of  his  illustrious 
predecessor.  His  fortitude,  winsomeness,  self- 
abnegation,  independence,  and  strength  of  pur- 
pose have  endeared  his  name  among  fellow- 
messengers,  kindred  societies,  African  tribes 
and,  not  a  few  of  the  better  class  Arab  mer- 
chants The  herculean  energy  of  the  bishop 
has  had  signal  proof.  On  his  return  to  Eng- 
land in  1888,  after  four  years'  absence,  it  was 
reported  that  he  had  made  foot  journeys  of 
more  than  five  thousand  miles!  His  spirit 
of  devotedness  was  further  confirmed  by  his 
prompt  re-embarkation,  from  furlough,  for  his 
unrepresented  diocese,  when  apprised  of  the 
conflicts  on  the  East  Coast,  where  his  attitude 
carried  golden  opinions.  It  was  distressing  to 
be  informed  at  the  close  of  1891,  that  his  health 
had  been  much  enfeebled,  intensified  by  an 


to  Central  Africa. 


I  2  I 


attack  of  malarial  fever,  causing  him  to  write 
in  pathetic  terms,  "all  the  strength  seems  to 
have  gone  out  of  me."  Knowing  that  the 
Bishop  held  a  living  at  Cardiff,  Wales,  in  his 
early  years,  and  was  marked  out  for  speedy 
preferment,  it  speaks  volumes  for  his  sacrifice 
and  courage  that  he  should  have  chosen  one 
of  the  most  perilous  fields  of  service  in  the 
Dark  Continent. 

Every  sympathy  will  be  felt  for  the  Mission 
which  had  to  report  at  the  beginning  of  1892, 
a  lack  of  volunteers,  a  circumstance  imperilling 
the  maintenance  of  important  stations.  This 
barrenness  it  will  be  hoped  may  only  be  of 
temporary  duration.  What  the  Mission  has 
accomplished  may  be  inferred  from  a  testimony 
by  Mr.  H.  H.  Johnston,  British  Commissioner 
in  Central  Africa.  He  says  :  "  In  his  journey- 
ings  in  East  Africa  he  had  always  felt,  without 
any  information  or  even  rumours  from  the  na- 
tives, when  he  was  approaching  the  vicinity  of 
one  of  the  stations  of  the  Universities'  Mis- 
sion.   Round  them  there  was  the  radiance  of  I 


122       The  Universities  Mission. 


'  sweetness  and  light '  and  evidences  of  civilisa- 
tion abounded." 

Honour  be  to  those  who  are  reclaiming 
Afric's  lost  children  and,  by  the  might  of  the 
Gospel  endeavouring  to  place  their  feet  on  the 
highway  of  salvation  ! 


PIONEERING  IN  THE  BAROTSI 
KINGDOM,  ON  THE  UPPER 
ZAMBESI. 


(123) 


VII. 


PIONEERING  IN  THE  BAROTSI  KING- 
DOM, ON  THE  UPPER  ZAMBESI. 

It  was  in  1877  that  M.  Coillard  tried  to 
establish  a  missionary  sphere  for  the  Native 
Churches  of  Basutoland  among  the  Banyai 
tribes  to  the  north  of  the  Limpopo  River. 
The  fierce  King  of  the  Matabele  resisted  the 
missionary's  invasion,  closed  the  door  against 
him,  and,  finally,  to  mark  his  intense  opposi- 
tion, confined  M.  Coillard  and  his  friends  for 
a  time  to  imprisonment.  Thus  baffled,  the 
servant  of  God  resolved  by  Divine  aid  to  make 
a  survey  of  the  Barotsi  Valley  in  the  regions 
and  watershed  skirting  the  Upper  Zambesi. 
The  path  of  the  brave-hearted  man  was  re- 
markably opened  to  carry  the  Gospel  to  a  race 
speaking  the  Basuto  tongue,  a  language  which 
they  had  accepted  from  Sebetoane  and  his 
conquering  warriors.  What  M.  Coillard  has  to 
record  of  founding  a  mission  in  the  centre  of 

(125) 


126  Pioneering  in  the  Barotsi Kingdom, 


tribes  "  dark  ;  chained  by  superstition  and  vice, 
suffering  and  dying,"  forms  a  chapter  of  service 
which  may  vie  with  any  other  in  the  annals  of 
modern  missions.  A  glimpse  at  the  wild  con- 
dition of  the  natives  illustrates  the  compas- 
sionate spirit  of  the  missionary  who  felt  him- 
self drawn  to  such  people  that  he  might  have 
some  share  in  hastening  their  deliverance  from 
pagan  barbarism.  This  gallant  pioneer  to  the 
Barotsi  pourtrays  them  as  "  treacherous  and 
suspicious  ;  no  savages'  feet  are  swifter  than 
theirs  to  shed  blood.  The  least  provocation, 
the  most  groundless  suspicion,  envy,  jealousy, 
and  vengeance,  justify  the  most  atrocious 
crimes.  Slavery  has  dried  up  the  natural  af- 
fections ;  infanticide  is  of  too  common  an  oc- 
currence to  shock  any  one ;  marriage  is  as 
easily  dissolved  as  it  is  contracted  ;  and  the 
family  can  hardly  be  said  to  exist.  Let  us 
throw  a  veil  over  the  unfathomable  abyss  of 
corruption  and  degradation,  of  which  we  have 
found  a  parallel  nowhere  in  heathen  Africa. 
The  whole  land  is  a  Sodom  ;  and  these  be- 
nighted people,  whose  conscience  is  dead,  lit- 


on  tJie  Upper  Zambesi.  127 


erally  glory  in  tlieir  shame."  A  lurid  picture 
of  heathendom  which  may  truly  call  forth  his 
pathetic  appeal,  "  We  need  to  be  powerfully  sup- 
ported, lest  we  grow  weary  under  a  burden  too 
heavy  for  us  to  bear  alone."  It  is  from  this 
wide  field  of  gloomy  Central  Africa  where  no 
other  labourers  toil  that  the  cry  "  come  over 
and  help  us,"  derives  its  piercing  and  mournful 
tones. 

The  Barotsi  kingdom  in  succession  to  that  of 
the  Makololo  stretches  from  the  Kafu  River  to 
20°  long.  E.  ;  and  again  from  the  course  of  the 
Quando  and  Zambesi  to  the  watersheds  of  the 
Congo  and  Zambesi.  Over  this  scarcely  known 
immense  tract  of  country  upwards  of  800 
miles  in  length  a  comparatively  sparse  popula- 
tion is  scattered,  the  remnants  of  various  tribes 
reduced  to  miserable  servitude  by  the  strong 
Barotsi.  Northwards,  in  the  dense  interior, 
dwell  countless,  unvisited  hordes  of  people 
utterly  ignorant  of  the  light  of  God.  Wars, 
bloody  and  incessant,  among  the  Barotsi  them- 
selves—  the  aristocracy  of  the  land  —  have 
greatly  diminished  the  number  of  this  race. 


128  Pionecriii o-  in  the  Barotsi  Kin([dom, 


Many  of  the  natives  inhabit  the  province  of 
Sesheke,  a  vast  region,  flat  and  sandy,  covered 
with  bush,  and  indented  by  several  pleasant 
and  fertile  vales.  Another  division  live  in  the 
Barotsi  Valley  proper,  a  stretch  of  territory 
consisting  of  an  enormous  lake-bed  through 
which  the  Zambesi  rolls.  On  its  banks  and 
slopes  of  low  sand  hills  brushwood  plentifully 
thrives.  The  riverine  valley  is,  on  an  average, 
flooded  three  months  annually  and,  at  this 
season,  the  water-girt  hamlets  and  villages 
standing  on  the  islets  and  in  the  marshes  are 
deserted  by  the  inhabitants  who  pitch  their 
camps  on  the  upland,  sand- formed  hillocks. 
With  the  ebb  of  the  flood  they  return  to  their 
favourite  haunts  on  the  barren  plains  and 
marshy  abodes  where  most  of  their  hours  are 
spent  in  slothfulness  and  gross  dissipation.  The 
native  mud  hovels  are  filthily  unclean,  wretched 
quarters.  Before  these  lie  deep  cut  trenches 
making  access  to  the  houses  almost  impossible. 
To  an  imperfect  extent  only  do  the  trenches 
drain  the  swampy,  pestilential  soil.  Far  as  the 
eye  can  reach  lagoons  and  marshes  are  seen 


on  the  Upper  Zambesi. 


I  2Q 


in  the  driest  periods  of  the  year  overgrown 
with  rank  vegetation  and,  consequently,  under 
a  temperature  of  heat  at  112°  or  more,  these 
spots  are  fever-producing  hotbeds  which  shat- 
ter tlie  native  physique  and  often  strike  fatally 
the  passing  trader  or  traveller. 

In  1880  and  1881  M.  Coillard  and  Mrs. 
Coillard  visited  Europe  to  supply  information 
of  their  former  mission  labours  in  Basutoland 
— famous  as  the  scene  of  the  life-work  of  that 
God-fearing  missionary  and  apostle,  the  late 
Mons.  Eugene  Casalis — and  their  prospects  in 
occupying  the  Barotsi  Valley.  From  numbers 
of  Christian  friends  they  had  the  most  cordial 
reception.  In  the  course  of  this  missionary 
campaign  among  the  churches  at  home  they 
received  the  heartiest  co-operation  from  Major 
Malan,  a  true  and  staunch  friend  of  the  Afri- 
can race.  Returning  to  the  Dark  Continent 
in  May,  1882,  M.  and  Mrs.  Coillard  were  pre- 
vented by  one  obstacle  after  another  from  leav- 
ing the  kingdom  of  the  Basutos  earlier  than 
the  2d  of  January,  1884.  Their  desert  journey 
extending  over  1,000  miles,  which  came  on  the 


130  Pioneering  in  the  Barotsi  Kingdom, 


heels  of  a  terrible  drought  followed  by  a  spell 
of  extraordinary  rains,  was  crowded  with  trials 
and  calamities.  The  worst  of  these  was  the 
loss  of  most  of  their  draught  bullocks  through 
a  virulent  disease.  On  the  25th  of  July  the 
missionary  travellers  encamped  some  nine  miles 
from  the  flowing  Zambesi,  the  habitat  of  the 
tsetse  fly,  preventing  a  nearer  approach  to  the 
bank  of  the  great  river.  M.  Coillard's  success 
in  making  arrangements  to  have  an  interview 
with  King  Robosi  and  his  chiefs  at  the  capital 
was  shortly  afterwards  marred  by  the  over- 
throw and  flight  of  the  king  whose  country 
became  the  theatre  of  anarchy  and  bloodshed. 
For  months  M.  Coillard  waited  in  suspense 
the  tide  of  affairs  and,  on  the  election  of  a  new 
king  the  missionary  had  the  privilege  of  visit- 
ing his  capital,  Lialui,  in  January,  1885.  The 
king  courteously  granted  his  guest  leave  to 
make  a  survey  or  found  a  station.  By  the  21st 
of  August  the  same  year  the  party  crossed 
the  Zambesi  with  their  wagon  and  oxen  and 
had  as  kindly  a  greeting  from  various  chiefs 
who  allowed  them  every  facility  of  settlement 


on  the  Upper  Zambesi. 


over  an  extensive  area.  To  reach  Seshcke,  70 
miles  from  Lishoma,  these  heroes  literally 
fought  their  way,  the  thinned  and  famished 
teams  of  animals  requiring  every  member  of 
the  company  to  put  a  shoulder  to  the  wheels 
of  the  heavily-stocked  wagon.  Lest  they  should 
suffer  from  the  coming  rainy  season  or  insur- 
rectionary raids  inland,  Sesheke  was  made  a 
present  base  of  operations  because  of  its  situ- 
ation. Apart  from  this  it  had  no  charms.  At 
the  time  Sesheke  was  untenanted  by  any  tribe. 
M.  Coillard  then  spoke  of  it  : — "  The  chiefs  di- 
vided, fearing  each  other,  had  fled,  some  to  the 
islands  and  others  to  the  woods.  We  were  left 
alone  to  battle  with  crocodiles,  and  hyenas,  and 
other  wild  animals,  that  waged  war  against  us 
night  and  day." 

Through  the  succeeding  years  from  1885  to 
1892  fresh  stations  have  been  built  and  numer- 
ous distant  expeditions  effected  for  the  ingath- 
ering of  long-neglected  souls.  In  these  endeav- 
ours M.  Coillard  has  taken  the  noblest  share. 
His  deeds  bear  the  sign-manual  of  rare  fore- 
sight, laborious  industry,  and  daring  purpose. 


1 3  2  Pioneering  in  the  Barotsi  Kingdom, 


He  belongs  to  that  select  band  of  which  Schil- 
ler sings  : — 

"  By  angel  trumps  in  heaven  their  praise  is  blown, 
Divine  their  lot "; 

and  to  him  a  place  is  assigned  with  the  mighty 
spirits  by  whom  deserts  are  made  to  rejoice 
and  blossom  as  the  rose  and  kingdoms  lost 
are  again  restored. 

At  Mambora,  by  the  Kazangula  ford,  the 
one  official  entrance  to  the  Barotsi  country, 
were  planted  two  Basuto  evangelists  and  their 
families,  M.  Jeanmairit,  the  solitary,  ordained 
colleague  of  M.  Coillard, — and  a  missionary 
force,  remained  at  Sesheke,  a  geographical  van- 
tage ground,  and,  for  awhile,  M.  Coillard  helped 
to  promote  the  initial  stages  of  the  mission 
there  previous  to  his  departure  for  Sefula,  350 
miles  beyond.  The  absence  of  a  settled  popu- 
lation at  Sesheke  has  made  systematic  Chris- 
tian training  and  the  work  generally,  quite  im- 
practicable. Though  Sesheke  happens  period- 
ically, to  be  the  '  state '  residence  of  fifteen 
chiefs, — lords  of  the  neighbouring  tribes,  these 
swarthy  rulers  prefer  to  live  independently  in 


on  the  Uppci'  Zambesi.  133 


their  own  scattered  villages,  leaving  the  capital 
of  their  district  deserted,  save  the  care  of  it 
to  a  few  poor  slaves.  A  day  school  was  com- 
menced which  M.  Jeanniairit  had  unwillingly 
to  discontinue  from  lack  of  assistance  and  the 
absence  of  authority  in  the  village.  Congrega- 
tions on  the  Lord's  Day  have  been  similarly 
disappointing,  their  numbers  being  affected  by 
the  shifting  character  of  the  native  population. 
Want  of  success  in  these  departments  has  not 
hindered  the  zealous  toiler's  visits  to  the  out- 
lying districts  in  order  to  tell  of  the  day  of 
salvation.  One  cheering  result  is  chronicled. 
Two  or  three  of  the  young  chiefs  have  learned 
to  read  and  shew  a  desire  to  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  marvellous  light.  In  1887  the 
Rev.  L.  and  Mad.  Jalla  of  the  Waldensian 
Church  reached  Sesheke  and  indefatigably  la- 
boured there,  prior  to  their  settlement  at  Ka- 
zangula,  the  gate  of  the  land.  To  the  same 
destination  came  the  young  Swiss  missionary, 
Mons.  Goy,  for  the  purpose  of  affording  M. 
Jcanmairit  a  brief  furlough.  M.  Goy  will 
eventually  be  stationed  at  Seoma,  the  Gonye 


134  Pioneering  in  tJie  Barotsi Kingdom, 


Falls,  a  link  of  importance  which  connects 
Scsheke  and  the  Barotsi  Valley.  On  the 
threshold  of  the  country  at  Kazangula,  Dr. 
Dardicr  fell  a  victim  to  sunstroke,  "  his  heart 
and  his  face  turned  homeward."  A  fresh  en- 
sign, the  Rev.  Ad.  Jalla,  younger  brother  of 
Mons.  L.  Jalla,  reached  Africa  in  1889  with 
the  view  of  settling  at  a  new  station  in  the  Ba- 
rotsi Valley  adjoining  the  capital.  Thoroughly 
equipped  by  European  training  and  schooled 
in  Zambesi  mission  operations  high  anticipa- 
tions are  cherished  of  the  missionary's  energy 
and  enterprise.  In  the  autumn  of  1891  the 
mission  was  reinforced  by  Mons.  Vollet,  the 
son  of  a  Paris  minister,  accompanied  by  two 
("  we  fain  hope  more,"  wrote  M.  Coillard)  evan- 
gelists. With  this  rearguard  the  staff  consists  of 
seven  missionaries,  their  families,  and  three  na- 
tive workers  who  are  in  occupation  of  three  sta- 
tions, to  which  three  others  as  well  as  a  couple 
of  out-stations  will  shortly  be  added.  Steadily 
the  mission  proceeds  on  its  course,  its  pathways 
are  multiplying,  its  leaven  is  spreading,  and  its 
presence  creating  a  nobler  sense  of  humanit}'. 


on  the  Upper  Zambesi. 


135 


Scfula,  the  headquarters  of  the  Barotsi  Mis- 
sion, stands  16  miles  from  the  capital,  Lialui. 
On  King  Robosi  regaining  the  helm  of  sov- 
ereignty he  shewed  renewed  sympathy  with 
missionary  objects,  and  cordially  invited  M. 
Coillard  to  visit  his  royal  kraal.  The  site  of 
the  mission  centre  is  situated  on  a  sand  hill 
by  which  flows  the  modest  Scfula  River  and  is 
admirably  adapted  for  educational  advantages 
and  agricultural  developments.  A  large  popu- 
lation dwells  in  the  neighbourhood.  At  Scfula 
miracles  of  progress  and  civilisation  are  visible. 
A  well-built  church — the  first  seen  on  the  Zam- 
besi River,  and  a  cluster  of  miscellaneous  erec- 
tions have  been  reared.  Specially  noticeable 
are  the  huts  of  circular  arrangement,  in  which 
boys  and  girls  receive  instruction  and  are 
taught  useful  callings.  By  the  practical  genius 
of  Mr.  Waddell,  the  artisan  and  builder,  the 
Sefu'a  Mission  structures  have  the  look  of 
some  model  European  village.  Mr.  Waddell's 
dreaded  antagonist  is  the  white  ant,  the  scourge 
of  the  African  tropics,  which,  unchecked,  speed- 
ily ruins  substantial  premises.    For  two  feats 


136  Pioneering  in  tJic  Barotsi Kingdom, 


M.  Coillard  deserves  congratulation — a  useful 
canal  and  an  excellent  roadway.  In  conjunc- 
tion with  Nguana  Ngombe,  the  earliest  Barotsi 
convert,  a  young  man  of  talent  and  fine  resolu- 
tion,— M.  Coillard  had  pleasure,  after  two  years 
of  toil,  in  seeing  at  the  close  of  1891,  the  canal 
triumphantly  completed.  Admittedly  a  mis- 
sionary waterway,  it  is  10  miles  in  length,  join- 
ing the  Sefula  station  and  the  broad  Zambesi's 
course.  Transports,  goods,  passengers,  etc.,  are 
carried  on  the  surface  of  the  canal  and  the  en- 
tire valley  is  now  directly  influenced  by  Chris- 
tianising civilisation.  The  upper  sources  of 
the  river  cleared,  a  stronger  volume  of  water 
will  be  available.  Towards  this  appreciated 
neck  of  communication  an  English  gentleman 
liberally  contributed  most  of  the  required  funds. 
The  missionaries,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jalla,  were  the 
first  to  sail  Zambesi-wards  on  the  miniature 
Suez  from  visiting  M.  Coillard,  who  said  con- 
cerning the  event : — "  It  may  well  be  imagined 
with  what  feelings  we  accompanied  our  be- 
loved friends  to  the  landing  at  the  foot  of  the 
hill,  and  with  v/hat  interest  our  eyes  followed 


on  the  Upper  Zambesi. 


137 


their  boats  gliding  gently  down  the  stream." 
This  achievement  has  not  wholly  removed  the 
isolation  of  the  missionary  sentinel.  A  post 
seldom  arrives  more  than  once  a  year  and  the 
problem  of  conveying  supplies  from  Mangwato 
to  Kazangula,  the  nearest  point  of  the  Zam- 
besi, and  thence  to  Sefula,  remains  practically 
unsolved,  notwithstanding  the  road,  or  rather 
wagon  track,  which  M.  Coillard  laid  from  Se- 
sheke  to  Sefula,  over  350  miles  long  across 
sandy  plains  and  through  thick  forests.  In- 
fested with  the  tsetse  fly  and  the  recurring 
grow^th  of  poisonous  plants,  so  ruinous  to  cattle, 
this  track  has  been  forsaken  and  the  river  fallen 
back  upon  for  transit.  Smooth  sailing  here  is 
not  possible  owing  to  the  numerous  rapids 
and  the  Gonye  Falls.  To  conquer  these  obsta- 
cles and  to  be  relieved  of  the  necessity  of  using 
the  small,  leaky  canoes  which  are  as  expensive 
as  dangerous,  Coillard  purposes  securing 
two  moderately  sized  launches  of  a  ton  each, 
one  of  these  to  ply  above  and  the  other  below 
the  Gonye  Falls. 

Unfaltering  in  spirit  M,  Coillard  has  served 


138  Pio7ieering  in  the  Barotsi Kingdojn, 


seven  years  in  the  Zambesian  Regions.  He 
describes  the  land  as  "  fallow  ground  which,  for 
a  long  time  5'et,  we  shall  have  to  break  up." 
Tribal  warfare  in  many  of  the  deadly  climates 
is  attended  by  shocking  barbarities,  and  in  its 
train  polygamy  of  the  most  debasing  kind, 
slavery  with  its  horrible  cruelties,  superstition 
which  burns  alive  its  helpless  victims,  and  all 
the  abominations  of  lying,  theft,  and  murder. 
To  deliver  the  youth  of  these  degraded  beings 
M.  Coillard  who  has  given  himself  specially  to 
evangelising  opened  a  school.  The  few  books 
and  slates  and  a  slender  staff  necessarily  limited 
the  progress.  More  regretably  the  pupils, 
mostly  young  chiefs  with  their  slave  attend- 
ants, revolted  against  the  least  discipline. 
"  The  village  which  they  built,"  says  M.  Coil- 
lard, "  and  over  which  we  can  have  no  control, 
was  a  den  of  thieves  and  the  hotbed  of  the 
grossest  shameless  immorality.  They  feared 
no  one  and  respected  nothing.  They  impu- 
dently rode  our  donkeys  to  death  in  broad 
daylight :  stole  cloth,  food,  tools,  everything 
they  could  get  hold  of — even  things  which 


on  tlic  Upper  Zambesi. 


139 


were  utterly  useless  to  them,  such  as  barome- 
ters and  thermometers  ;  and  what  in  the  house 
was  beyond  their  reach  they  found  no  difficulty 
in  inducing  our  servants  to  steal  for  them." 
M.  Coillard  earnestly  pursued  his  mission 
nobly  aided  by  a  devoted  partner  and,  in  three 
years'  time  several  of  the  young  men  learned 
to  read  and  enjoyed  the  perusal  of  a  New 
Testam.ent  and  hymn  book.  On  the  arrival  of 
a  box  of  these  not  a  few  of  the  royal  pupils 
each  brought  a  calf  in  exchange  for  a  copy 
of  the  Testament  while  the  destitute  slaves 
cheerfully  toiled  in  order  to  possess  the  same 
treasure.  Afterwards  the  school  was  popular, 
its  order  preserved,  and  its  atmosphere  changed. 
Litia,  the  eldest  son  of  the  reigning  King 
Lewanika,  has  been  sent  with  five  other  promis- 
ing scholars  to  the  Morija  High  School,  Basu- 
toland.  Ten  girls  have  entered  the  Sefula 
schools,  five  of  whom  are  kings'  daughters  and 
nieces,  whose  clothing  and  food  beside  tuition 
make  a  heavy  demand  on  the  mission's  limited 
resources.  It  is  disappointing  to  M.  Coillard 
that  he  has  often  to  decline  the  applications  of 


140  Pionecyiiig  in  the  Barotsi Kingdom, 


dark  little  fellows  because  there  is  no  instructor. 

Late  in  1891  a  deep  shadow  fell  upon  this 

hopeful  branch  of  service.    To  the  constant 

strain  of  teaching  the  pupils  who  had  increased 

from  30  to  40  to  about  100,  Madame  Coillard, 

a  woman  of  rare  spiritual  beauty,  succumbed. 

Shattered  in  health  Madame  Coillard  stood  to 

the  end  at  the  post  of  sacred  duty.  Fittingly 

may  the  Church  of  God  say  to  her: — 

"  Sleep  sweetly,  tender  heart,  in  peace  ; 
Sleep,  holy  spirit,  blessed  soul, — 
Sleep  till  the  end,  true  soul  and  sweet, 
Sleep  full  of  rest  from  head  to  feet." 

Most  providentially  the  school  work  has  been 
taken  up  by  Miss  Kiener,  a  Swiss  lady,  who 
reached  the  confines  of  Zambesi-land  ere  the  sup- 
plicating M,  Coillard  was  aware  of  her  coming. 

A  brighter  outlook  appears  on  the  horizon 
of  Zambesia,  and  much  countenance  is  given  to 
it  by  the  king's  improved  attitude,  customs, 
and  decrees.  He  forbids  the  sale  of  liquor  in 
his  capital  and  is  himself  an  abstainer;  he  has 
stopped  that  awful  form  of  administering 
poison  to  unfortunate  creatures  accused  of 
witchcraft  and  then  burning  their  bodies ;  he 


on  tJic  Upper  Zambesi.  141 


has  prohibited  his  people  selling  slaves  to  the 
Portuguese  from  the  west  coast;  and,  for  four 
years  he  has  not  offered  a  human  sacrifice  or 
allowed  his  subjects  to  practise  this  rite.  The 
peaceable  aims  of  the  missionaries  are  under- 
stood and,  although  their  property  has  been 
ruthlessly  pillaged  no  hand  has  ever  attempted 
to  take  their  lives.  To  the  pleas  of  the  heralds 
of  the  kingdom  savage  natures  even  pay  greater 
regard  and  at  the  services  on  the  Lord's  Day 
worshippers  more  regularly  congregate.  The 
mission  station  is  a  centre  of  illumination.  A 
new  missionary  expedition  of  the  English 
Primitive  Methodists  recently  to  Mashikulom- 
boe  Land  led  by  Mr.  Buckenham  and  its  occu- 
pation of  a  location  in  the  king's  territory  is  a 
stimulus  to  holy  aggression. 

Under  the  direction  of  the  Paris  Evangelical 
Missionary  Society  and  French  in  tongue  the 
Zambesi  Mission  is  international  otherwise. 
From  the  ordinary  funds  of  the  Society  no  aid 
is  obtained.  It  is  dependent  upon  the  people 
of  God  in  many  lands  including  the  nationali- 
ties of  France,  Holland,  Switzerland,  England, 


142  Pioiieei^ijig  in  tJic  Barotsi  Kingdom. 


Scotland,  and  Basutoland  and,  to  its  worthy 
claims  friends  have  generously  responded  to 
smooth  the  path  and  lighten  the  burden  of  its 
leader  whose  entreaty  is,  "  forget  not  this  part  • 
of  Africa."  The  fruitfulness  of  its  career  brings 
proportionate  obligation  and  incites  to  a  loftier 
faith  on  behalf  of  the  heathen  world.  Of  what 
spirit  Mons.  Francois  Coillard  is  made  one 
glimpse  is  offered.  Writing  in  1891  he  says: — 
"  I  have  lost  my  only  horse — the  gift  of  a 
friend — and  a  horse  here  is  a  fortune,  an  acqui- 
sition beyond  our  means.  But,  though  no 
longer  young,  I  am  ready  cheerfully  to  tramp 
the  burning  sand  and  the  deep  mud,  under  this 
torrid  sun,  to  make  known,  as  far  as  I  can,  the 
glad  tidings  of  salvation."  By  this  type  of 
Christian  manhood  embracing  patriotism  in  its 
widest  sense  the  Apostle  Paul's  injunction  is 
eloquently  fulfilled,  "  Remember  them  that  are 
in  bonds,  as  bound  with  them,"  and  the  hap- 
pier time  brought  nigh  of  which  a  poet  has 
sung: — 

"  In  that  sweet  day  when  r  one  shall  ask  another 
'  What  blood  is  thine,  in  what  ancestral  skin  ?  '  " 


SUNRISE   IN   KAFRARIA,  SOUTH 
AFRICA. 


(143) 


VIII. 


SUNRISE   IN    KAFRARIA,  SOUTH 
AFRICA. 

AmoNO  the  half  dozen  principal  territories 
likely  to  be  included  in  the  future  South 
African  Republic,  Kafraria,  which  lies  on  the 
immediate  south-eastern  coast  of  Africa,  is 
already  an  acknowledged  valuable  possession 
of  Great  Britain.  Previous  to  1820  the  country 
was  practically  unvisited  and,  for  years  after- 
wards, a  few  scattered  traders  and  pioneer  mis- 
sionaries were  the  solitary  inhabitants.  Fol- 
lowing its  complete  British  occupation,  the 
history  of  Kafraria  assumed  a  new  complexion 
and,  latterly,  colonisation  and  missionary  ex- 
tensions have  travelled  steadily  abreast.  In 
former  days  when  the  Kafirs  and  English  were 
in  conflict  the  mission  stations  were  often  at- 
tacked and  destroyed.  Energetically  the  mis- 
sionaries rebuilt  the  stations  and,  under  a 
civilised  rule,  they  now  enjoy  a  permanent  ex- 

(145) 


146 


Sunrise  in  Kafraria, 


istence.  A  new  chapter  is  opening,  and,  from 
the  Cape  to  Natal, — northeast  of  Kafraria,  and, 
as  far  northwards  as  the  Limpopo  River,  the 
mission  settlements  of  the  European  and 
American  societies  dot  the  soil ;  a  noble  proof 
that  Christianity  is  heroically  banishing  the 
face  of  heathen  darkness. 

Civilisation  is  springing  in  the  footsteps  of 
the  messengers  of  the  Cross.  The  day  of  roads, 
a  sign  of  intercourse  and  progress,  has  arrived. 
Far  and  wide  the  miserable,  rugged  tracks  of  a 
generation  ago  are  covered  by  broad  highways, 
while  the  railway  system,  another  agent  of 
civilising  power,  has  daily  expansion.  Cape 
Colony  is  intersected  with  hundreds  of  miles  of 
the  iron  road,  the  chief  line  stretching  from 
Cape  Town  to  Kimberley.  The  old-time  jour- 
neys of  Moffat,  weeks  in  duration,  to  Bechu- 
analand,  with  wagon  and  in-spanned  oxen,  are 
at  present  made  in  three  or  four  days. 

In  the  article  of  clothing  another  index  of 
advance,  the  Christian  Kafir  generally  dons 
himself  in  semi-English  garb  or,  if  less  pro- 
gressive wears  a  superior  blanket  about  his 


South  Africa. 


smeared  body.  For  domestic  convenience  he 
readily  uses  pots,  pails,  and  plates  of  foreign 
manufacture  and,  instead  of  the  archaic,  primi- 
tive, wooden  spade,  with  which  he  was  accus- 
tomed to  scratch,  or,  as  has  been  said,  "tickle," 
the  earth,  he  prefers  the  iron  hoe.  Dexterously 
he  follows  the  light  American  plough,  a  species 
of  import,  the  surplus  home-profits  on  which, 
would  pay  twice  over  the  cost  of  the  existing 
staff  of  missionaries.  Most  people  have  heard 
something  of  the  quaint,  rude,  Kafir  hut.  In 
every  part  of  the  country  these  single-roomed, 
grass-covered,  bee-hive  shaped  creations  with 
one  division  were  once  visible  rising  from  the 
earth.  Their  day  is  sinking  into  oblivion.  The 
successors  of  these,  plainly  suggestive  of  West- 
ern architecture,  rest  on  strong  supports,  with 
plastered  walls,  and,  most  valuable  of  all,  hav- 
ing a  couple  or  more  of  sections.  Whether 
grouped  in  isolated  lots  in  South  Kafraria  or, 
in  the  big  towns  of  the  interior,  the  kraals  of 
the  Kafirs  are  yielding  to  the  impress  of  the 
white  man's  hand  and  designs. 

Woman's  elevation,  a  distinct  stamp  or  pro- 


148 


Sunrise  in  Kafraria, 


duct  of  Christian  influence,  is  witnessed.  Yes- 
terday, the  wife  of  a  heathen  Kafir  was  the 
usual,  solitary  figure  at  work  in  the  hut  or 
down  the  brown  burnt  furrows  and,  to  her  was 
entrusted  the  unpleasant  task  of  settling  her 
husband's  disputes  with  the  head-man  of  the 
tribe.  Meanwhile  her  "master,"  lazily  lounged 
by  the  cattle,  smoked  his  pipe,  and  took  charge 
of  the  young  children  from  morning  till  sunset. 
Alluding  to  women's  work,  a  missionary  at  the 
Amaxesibe  Mission  says: — "Women  and  chil- 
dren are  expected  to  do  all  the  work, —  they  are 
the  hewers  of  wood  and  drawers  of  water;  the 
children, — the  herds  and  weeders,  the  milkers, 
the  grinders,  the  nurses, —  in  fact,  everything 
they  can  do,  and  many  things  they  cannot.  It 
is  a  common  sight  to  see  a  little  lad  trying  to 
guide  a  plough  drawn  by  six  fractious  oxen, 
while  the  father  or  elder  brother  quietly  looks 
on,  with  scarcely  a  hand  to  help.  It  takes  the 
women  a  whole  day  to  go  to  the  bush,  six  or 
eight  miles  of?,  chop  a  bundle  of  wood,  and 
carry  it  back  on  the  head.  These  bundles  vary 
in  size  according  to  the  strength  of  the  bearer; 


Soiitli  Africa. 


149 


but  some,  weighed  at  the  store  out  of  curiosity, 
turned  the  bal'ince  at  over  80  lbs."  The  prac- 
tice of  the  converted  Kafir,  who  labours  on  his 
"  location,"  ploughs  and  sows,  weeds  and  reaps, 
is  otherwise.  He  scorns  to  make  his  partner  a 
rough  toiler  in  the  fields,  preferring  to  do  it 
himself  or,  with  male  assistance.  The  diet  of 
the  Kafir  both  in  range  and  quality  has  not 
been  unaffected.  For  a  generation,  acres  of 
golden  corn  have  been  raised  and  much  of  it 
exported  over  the  seas,  its  cultivation  marking 
a  superior  stage  to  milk,  flesh,  and  mealies,  the 
earlier  and  sole  means  of  subsistence.  Com- 
pared with  his  paltry  trading  half  a  century 
ago  the  Kafir's  present  exports  amount  to 
several  thousands  of  pounds  annually.  The 
Kafir's  fierce  enemies  of  the  plains  and  bushy 
ravines, — lions,  tigers,  hyenas,  and  kindred 
quadruped,  have  nearly  bade  him  good-bye, 
and  each  year  the  agricultural  prospect  of  the 
Kafir  is  brightening  and  improving.  This 
cheery  picture  is  not  free  from  shadows.  The 
evils  of  centuries  of  unrelieved  heathenism 
work  terrible  havoc.    In  hearts  unconquered 


Sjinrise  ?'u  Kafraria, 


by  Christ,  lying,  tlucving,  adultery,  witchcraft, 
and  polygamy,  aboundingly  prevail,  the  two 
latter  being  formidable  adversaries.  The  beer 
drinking  of  the  Kafirs  is  notorious.  In  the 
vicinity  of  towns  the  Kafir  drinks  freely  of  the 
white  man's  beer,  which  is  more  ruinous  than 
his  native-made  beverage.  Both  men  and 
women  smoke  constantly  and  where  the  Kafir 
can  escape  the  demands  of  work  he  is  quite  as 
willing  as  the  rest  of  humanity  to  avail  himself 
of  the  ease  of  indolence. 

On  all  hands  education  is  regarded  a  blessing 
of  immense  advantage,  the  foundation  of  com- 
ing prosperity,  and  a  prime  auxiliary  of  the 
gospel  of  the  kingdom.  Where  in  the  last 
generation  it  was  almost  impossible  for  the 
missionary  to  persuade  the  parents  to  send 
their-  children  to  school  it  has  become  the 
custom  of  the  young  people  to  seek  admission 
into  the  Government  and  Mission  schools. 
Every  year  the  British  Government  is  erecting 
additional  schools  for  the  native  race  and  the 
spectacle  of  thousands  of  the  young' attending 
the  excellent  Scottish  missionary  institutions  at 


Soiilh  Africa. 


Lovcdale,  Blythsvvood,  Healdtown,  Grahams- 
town,  and  elsewhere,  is  an  augury  of  a  nation- 
hood of  sons  and  daughters  whose  lives  will  be 
fashioned  upon  the  Master's  divine  pattern. 
Much  interest  attached  to  the  departure  of 
Sekhomi  the  only  son  of  Khama  in  1892,  for 
training  at  Lovedale  College.  Khama,  a  con- 
vert of  the  London  Missionary  Society,  the 
chief  paramount  of  Bechuanaland,  and,  unques- 
tionably, the  most  intclligcut,  enlightened,  and 
progressive  of  South  African  chiefs,  was  de- 
sirous that  his  son  should  have  an  English 
education.  For  this  purpose  he  requested  Sir 
Henry  Loch,  the  High  Commissioner,  to  place 
Sekhomi  in  a  school  of  first  rank.  Sekhomi 
was  met  at  Vryburg  and  conducted  to  Love- 
dale,  by  Mr.  Theal,  the  historian  of  South 
Africa,  and  one  of  the  foremost  ofificials  in  the 
Native  Affairs  Ofifice.  A  number  of  promising 
Bechuana  youths  are  enjoying  the  benefits  of 
Lovedale.  By  the  choice  of  this  college  for 
Khama's  son's  education,  the  High  Commis- 
sioner paid  a  highly  deserved  tribute  to  that 
worthy  South  African  educational  reformer.  Dr. 


152  Stmrise  in  Kufi  aria, 


Stewart, — a  modern  Comenius,  whose  name, 
future  generations  of  South  African  natives 
and  settlers  will  hold  in  grateful  remembrance. 
It  is  intended  that  Lovedale  shall  be  the  model 
of  the  Industrial  College  which  the  British  East 
Africa  Company  have  decidyd  to  establish  in 
their  territory  on  the  Kibwczi  River,  at  an 
altitude  of  three  thousand  feet,  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  good  water,  fertile  soil,  plenty  of 
timber,  and  in  the  centre  of  a  populous  and 
friendly  district.  Dr.  Stewart,  who  went  in 
search  of  a  site  for  this  New  Lovedale  at  the 
request  of  Sir  William  Mackinnon  and  Mr.  A. 
L.  Bruce  (Dr.  Livingstone's  son-in-law),  states 
that  the  heathen  natives  at  Kibwezi  have  never 
before  seen  the  face  of  a  white  man  except 
that  of  a  stray  traveller  or  Arab  invader  and 
cannot  divine  what  intention  the  Scotchman 
has  of  seeking  a  settlement  in  their  midst. 

For  the  tuition  of  Kafir  youths  as  much  as 
£,Z  per  annum  is  frequently  expended  in  order 
that  they  may  have  instruction  in  elementary, 
advanced,  and  technical  branches;  many  of 
them  afterwards  become  skilled  artisans,  teach- 


SoutJi  Africa. 


^53 


crs,  and  lawyers,  and  some  as  missionaries  bear 
the  Cross  to  the  dark  tribes  of  Central  Africa. 
I  n  the  schools  English  is  taught  and,  in  the  same 
tongue  the  natives  talk  to  the  settlers.  Native 
letters  too,  pass  in  thousands  through  the  Cape 
post,  an  indication  of  the  times,  while  a  goal  of 
Kafir  ambition  is  to  rent  ground  or  to  have  a 
wagon  for  the  conveyance  of  his  own  or  a 
trader's  goods.  Among  valued  imports, — the 
Angora  goat,  the  horse,  milk-giving  cattle,  and 
wool-bearing  sheep,  undreamt  of  fifty  years 
back,  are  the  principal  stock. 

Far  and  away,  the  missionary,  uniting  in 
himself  the  functions  of  educator,  philanthro- 
pist, organiser,  and  preacher,  is  the  best  of  the 
Kafir's  friends.  To  him  the  Kafir  is  evermore 
a  debtor.  Though  the  missionary  may  not  re- 
ceive hearty  expressions  of  native  gratefulness 
he  has  his  reward  in  more  gratifying  forms. 
He  sees  old  settlements  becoming  self-support- 
ing, ardent  Kafir  evangelists,  schools  and 
churches,  over  the  landscape,  which  severally 
indicate  that  pioneering  days  in  Kafirland  may 
be  past,  in  the  span  of  another  generation. 


154 


Sunrise  in  Kafj'aria, 


Honour  is  eminently  due  to  the  Free  Church 
and  United  Presbyterian  Scotch  missionary 
societies  for  their  services  on  behalf  of  the 
social,  educational,  and  religious  training  of  the 
Kafir  race.  Were  the  episodes  in  the  history 
of  their  great  work  written  in  detail  some  vivid 
chapters  would  be  given  to  the  Christian 
Church.  Missionaries  of  the  stamp  of  Stirling, 
Lundie,  and  Shearer,  have  splendidly  honoured 
their  calling : — 

"to  sow  the  seed,  and  reap  the  harvest  with  enduring 
toil." 

It  has  been  said  of  that  gifted  missionary- 
teacher,  the  Rev.  J.  D.  Don,  M.A.,  of  King 
William's  Town,  representing  the  Free  Church, 
that,  "his  commanding  influence  has  ever  been 
thrown  on  the  side  of  the  Kafir  and  the  mis- 
sion in  the  colonist  controversies  on  native 
questions.  By  his  public  vindication  of  Kafir 
life  and  rights  in  1885,  he  did  'a  deed  which 
places  him  in  the  notable  ranks  of  Christian 
missionaries  and  philanthropists  who  have  suf- 
fered bonds  and  even  death  in  the  cause  of 
justice   to   the   slave  and   the  oppressed.' " 


155 


These,  and  like  fellow  workers  and,  of  "  honour- 
able women  not  a  few,"  have  exhibited  indus- 
trj',  forcsi<j:^ht,  and  masterly  perseverance,  not 
unworthy  of  the  hit;liest  tributes  of  praise. 

The  Kafir's  musical  ear,  faculty,  and  voice, 
have  deserved  reputation.  With  drilling  they 
excel  as  singers  and  in  the  part-singing  of 
hymns  they  combine  sweetness  and  harmony. 
In  their  own  land  they  often  charm  the  Euro- 
pean settlers  by  their  quaint,  melodious,  and 
expressive  songs.  Of  their  vocal  gifts  evidence 
was  afforded  in  1891-2  by  the  visit  of  the 
South  African  Choir  to  Great  Britain  for  the 
purpose  of  illustrating  the  training  received  at 
the  mission  institutions  and  also  the  procuring 
of  funds  for  the  establishment  of  technical 
schools  in  South  Africa  in  which  handicrafts 
may  be  taught  the  young  men  and  domestic 
economy,  nursing,  cooking,  etc.,  to  young 
women.  These  interesting  visitors  of  varied 
shades  of  colour  and  dressed  in  native  costume 
represented  seven  distinct  branches  of  the 
Kafir  race  belonging  to  the  Amaxosa,  Fingo, 
Tcmbu,  Bapedi,  Basuto,  Zulu,  and  Cape  tribes. 


156 


Sunrise  in  Kaf raria. 


The  writer  had  the  pleasure  of  entertaining 
three  of  the  ladies  whose  brightness,  polite 
demeanour,  intelligence,  and  Christian  earnest- 
ness, did  great  credit  to  the  labour  of  the  mis- 
sionaries. 

No  definite  forecast  of  this  race,  the  most 
remarkable  in  the  South  African  Continent, 
can  be  given.  In  South  Africa  the  best  judg- 
ment widely  prevails  that  where  the  Kafirs 
adopt  the  false  civilisation  of  Europe  they  are 
doomed  to  extermination  and,  on  the  other 
hand,  that,  in  accepting  the  Christian  faith,  a 
bright  career  is  before  them.  It  is  usual  for 
traders  and  farmers  to  ridicule  the  Kafir's  pro- 
fession of  Christianity.  The  assumption  is 
made  that  every  native  in  European  dress  is 
necessarily  a  Christian  and,  if  he  happens  to 
cheat  or  steal,  it  is  placed  to  the  discredit  of 
missions.  Rarely  however  has  it  been  found 
when  such  cases  have  been  made  the  subjects 
of  inquiry  that  the  accused  ever  held  a  church 
member's  certificate.  With  respect  to  the  wish 
of  farmers  to  have  the  services  of  raw  Kafirs 
rather  than  Christians  the  missionaries  boldly 


South  A frica. 


157 


reply  that  it  is  because  the  fanner  more  easily 
trades  on  the  ignorance  and  serviHty  of  a 
"  Red  "  i.e.  iieathen  Kafir,  who  is  content  with 
the  lowest  wages,  whereas  the  sclf-respccting 
native  declines  these  terms. 

Steadily  the  evangelisation  of  the  unfixed 
Kafir  races  is  continued.  Of  the  650,000  Kafirs 
in  Cape  Colony,  about  one-fourth  have  been 
baptised  and,  in  Zululand,  of  50,000,  upwards 
of  2,000  are  Christians.  In  the  independent 
kingdom  of  Pondoland,  out  of  150,000  at  least 
3,000  are  Christianised  natives.  When  spirit- 
ual returns  from  Kafir  Missions  are  under  ex- 
amination the  broad,  racial  characteristics  of 
the  race  need  to  be  set  distinctly  within  view. 
Says  the  Moravian  Missionsblatt  of  the  Kafir, 
as  he  is  seen  in  the  Tembu  tribes  :  "  He  has 
redeeming  traits,  clearly  discernible  traces, 
though  sadly  marred  and  discontinuous,  of  the 
original  imprint  of  God's  similitude.  But,  on 
the  other  hand,  assuredly  he  is  far  from  being 
that  uncorruptcd,  harmless  child  of  nature  that 
dimly,  dreaming  worshippers  of  man  would 
make  him  out  to  be.    No  ;  his  true  portrait 


158 


Sunrise  in  Kafraria. 


does  not  merely  include  individual  shadows 
and  unclean  disfiguring  spots,  but  the  whole 
foundation  of  his  moral  being  is  awry,  untrue, 
impure,  and  unholy,  plainly  attesting  his  indis- 
pensable need  of  the  redemption  in  Christ, 
that  only  through  the  energy  of  grace  and  the 
inner  transformation  wrought  thereby  can  he 
be  restored  to  his  true  temporal  and  eternal 
destin}'."  Towards  the  salvation  of  the  Kafir 
the  missionary  at  every  civilisatory  stage  wit- 
nesses with  joy  that  heathen  customs  are  being 
forsaken  or  practised  only  in  secret  places.  The 
missionary's  station  is  a  fountain  for  desert 
hearts.  From  it  flow  the  streams  by  which  the 
life-destinics  of  a  great  people  are  being  tri- 
umphantly altered.  What  surprising  changes 
would  greet  the  eyes  of  the  early  labourers  of 
seventy  years  ago  on  Kafrarian  fields  were  they 
to  return  again  !  By  them  the  seed  was  cast 
into  the  sterile  ground  and,  to-day,  before  the 
reapers,  rises  the  harvest  of  God  waiting  His 
servants'  garnering  hands. 


PLANTING  THE  FLAG  OF  MISSIONS 
IN  KATANGA. 


(159) 


IX. 


PLANTING  THE  FLAG  OF  MISSIONS 
IN  KATANGA. 

Possessed  of  those  well  known  Scottish 
qualities,  hardihood  and  tenacity,  Frederick 
Stanley  Arnot, — pioneer,  explorer,  and  mission- 
ary, has  given  fresh  emphasis  to  the  saying, 
that  the  cause  of  Missions  will  not  permit  any 
land  to  lie  untilled.  With  the  love  of  souls 
which 

"  fires  fainting  wills,  and  builds  heroic  minds," 

Arnot  was  roused  by  one  of  Livingstone's  fare- 
well speeches  in  Scotland,  in  the  year  1864; 
from  which  date  he  consecrated  himself  to  the 
claims  of  the  heathen  world.  Mastered  by  the 
passion  that  "  the  most  worthy  pursuit  is  the 
prosperity  of  the  whole  world,"  the  young 
knight-errant  of  the  faith  reached  the  East 
African  coast  in  1S81,  to  begin  his  eminently 
honoured  career.    Forcing  a  passage  through 


i62  Plant ino-  the  Flao-  i?i  KalauQa. 


the  territories  of  savage  potentates  in  the  teeth 
of  enormous  difficulties,  Mr,  Arnot  ultimately- 
won  an  entrance  into  Msidi's  kingdom  as  the 
first  missionary  of  the  Cross  and  received  from 
the  venerable  African  chief  a  very  friendly  au- 
dience. Msidi's  dominions  lying  to  the  west 
of  Lakes  Moero  and  Bangweolo  and  south  of 
the  Congo  Free  State,  embrace  an  immense 
area  of  country.  Previous  tcr  Mr.  Arnot's  ar- 
rival at  the  capital,  Europeans  had  found  ad- 
mission impossible.  The  dusky  monarch  is  by 
far  the  greatest  ruler  in  that  part  of  the  Dark 
Continent,  his  po:sessions  standing  on  the 
ruins  of  the  ancient  kingdoms  of  the  Muata 
Cazembe  and  the  Muata  Janow.  In  acquiring 
a  protectorate  over  Katanga  and  obtaining 
concessions  from  Msidi  two  European  nations 
are  putting  forward  claims.  Katanga,  it  seems, 
lies  on  the  disputed  western  border  land  be- 
tween the  country  recently  declared  by  Lord 
Salisbury  to  be  under  British  influence,  and 
the  vasf  African  territory  of  the  King  of  the 
Belgians.  Portugal's  supposed  right^s  in  Ka- 
tanga are  wholly  ignored. 


Plantiug  the  Flag  in  Katanga.  163 


Mr.  Arnot  began  his  adventurous  march  into 
the  dark  interior  by  journeying  from  Natal  to 
Shoshong,  whence  he  intended  crossing  the 
desert  on  foot  joined  by  native  boys  and  three 
donkeys.  So  hazardous  a  step  was  prevented 
by  Khama,  a  Christian  chief  of  reputation,  gen- 
erously equipping  the  Scotchman  with  wagons 
and  a  score  of  oxen,  a  body  of  native  helpers, 
and,  also  accompanying  the  expedition  for  a 
long  distance  himself.  Battling  with  many 
perils  and  trying  reverses  Mr.  Arnot  arrived  at 
the  Chobe  River  and  afterwards  trudged  on  to 
Panda-ma-tenka,  where  he  was  attacked  by  a 
virulent  fever.  Had  a  noble  African  lad  not 
nursed  him  with  untiring  fidelity  his  life  v/ould 
undoubtedly  have  been  forfeited.  On  recover- 
ing Mr.  Arnot  was  kindly  aided  by  the  chief 
Lewanika,  who  conveyed  the  white  man  in  his 
canons  up  the  broad,  shining  waters  of  the 
Zambesi.  Naturally  this  chief  was  keenly  dis- 
appointed when.,  the  recipient  of  his  favours 
declined  to  make  a  permanent  residence  at  his 
capital.  Travelling  westerly  Mr.  Arnot  fell  in 
with  the  Bakuti,  amongst  whom  for  a  few  days 


1 64  Pla7iti)ig  the  Flag  in  Katanga. 


he  had  striking  evangeHsing  experiences.  Ac- 
quainted with  their  dialect  the  missionary- 
preached  Christ  to  some  purpose  and  opened 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  to  the  dark  barbarians. 
Other  native  receptions  were  less  cheering. 
Further  to  the  west  he  and  his  small  company 
were  raided  by  a  tribe  who  burnt  the  grass 
around  their  tent  and  carried  off  eight  follow- 
ers. In  a  plucky  fashion  Mr,  Arnot  went  in 
search  of  his  kidnapped  natives,  an  adventure 
which  he  has  brightly  described.  "  There  was 
nothing  to  do  but  to  find  their  trail  and  follow 
them  up.  After  a  ten  miles'  journey  we  reached 
a  little  village  in  the  forest  where  they  were 
resting.  They  thought  we  had  come  to  fight 
with  them,  and  they  rushed  out  with  their 
guns,  bows  and  arrows,  and  spears,  to  receive 
us.  My  mert,  thirty  or  forty  in  number,  being 
only  Africans,  got  in  fighting  order,  and  began 
to  load  their  guns  for  action.  I  was  a  little 
way  behind,  and  did  not  take  in  the" situation 
at  once.  Seeing  how  things  were  going,  I  ran 
forward,  seized  a  little  stool  and  held  it  up  in 
the  air  as  a  signal  of  peace.    This  arrested  the 


Planting  the  Fhig  in  Katanga.  165 


enemy,  and  at  last  two  of  tlicm,  seeing  me 
seated,  came  forward  to  hear  what  I  had  to 
say.  After  a  little  talk,  it  turned  out  that  the 
whole  thing  was  a  mistake.  They  thought  we 
had  come  to  their  country  to  rob  and  plunder 
them,  and  quite  naturally,  in  self-defence,  they 
wished  to  have  the  first  hit  at  us.  Next  day 
we  spent  the  time  in  receiving  presents,  and 
telling  them  of  the  things  we  had  been  speak- 
ing to  the  people  all  along  the  road."  Resum- 
ing his  journey  Mr.  Arnot  traversed  a  seldom 
trodden  region  and,  at  length  reached  Bih6. 
Of  the  Biheans,  with  whom  he  stayed  for  a  time, 
he  furnishes  numerous  interesting  sketches. 
His  next  stage  was  to  Bcnguella,  on  the  West 
African  coast.  His  arrival  there  was  a  suf- 
ficient proof  that  Grant,  Cameron,  and  others 
had  a  successor,  who  dared,  with  only  a  scanty 
escort,  to  cross  the  great  African  Continent. 

Undeterred  by  the  narrow  escapes  and  weary 
tramping  Mr.  Arnot  struck  inland  once  more 
after  enjoying  a  brief  rest.  Resolved  at  all 
hazards  to  reach  Msidi's  capital  the  j-oung 
Scotchman,  with  amazing  energy,  fought  his 


1 66  Planting  the  Flag  in  Katanga. 


way  pacifically  into  the  very  heart  of  the 
Garenganzc  country  and  achieved  in  the  inter- 
ests of  Christianity,  what  at  a  later  date  was 
accompHshed  for  purposes  of  commerce  and 
colonisation  by  Lieutenant  Le  Marincl,  an  en- 
voy of  the  Congo  Free  State,  to  whom  the 
honour  belongs  of  commanding  the  first  expe- 
dition which  penetrated  as  far  as  Msidi's  capi- 
tal. Msidi  warmly  countenanced  the  proposals 
of  Mr.  Arnot,  whose  labours,  similar  to  Mac- 
kay's  in  Uganda,  broadly  consisted  of  initiating 
Christian  civilisation.  Year  after  year  this 
civilising  pioneer  exhibited  strenuous  activity 
in  advancing  the  elementary  conditions  of 
progress,  industrial  pursuits,  and,  as  devotedly, 
illustrated  the  Gospel  message.  By  his  teach- 
ing and  character  Mr.  Arnot  was  winning 
favour  in  the  eyes  of  the  natives  and,  in  heroic 
fashion  preparing  the  way  for  comrades  and 
successors.  He  was  endeavouring  to  exemplify 
the  counsel  which  the  Patriarch  of  African 
Missions  addressed  to  him  on  the  point  of  de- 
parture for  Africa.  This  was:— "Have  pa- 
tience, patience,  patience,  and  then  you  will  sue- 


Planting  the  Flag  in  Katanga.  167 


ceed."  Two  brother  missionaries, — Mr.  C.  A. 
Swan,  of  Sunderland,  England,  and,  Mr.  W.  L. 
Faulknor,  from  Canada,  were  welcomed  to 
Katanga,  in  1887,  and,  on  their  settlement  Mr. 
Arnot,  after  a  chequered  seven  years'  history 
in  Darkest  Africa,  returned  to  Great  Britain  in 
1888,  where  before  large  audiences  in  geographi- 
cal and  Christian  circles  he  recounted  the  de- 
velopment of  Garenganze.  In  England  Mr. 
Arnot  married  Miss  H.  J.  Fisher  and,  together 
with  her  and  a  band  of  strong-souled  fellow- 
workers,  the  good  soldier  of  faith  sailed  in 
1890  for  his  adopted  country  and,  has  subse- 
quently located  himself  temporarily,  at  Bih6, 
on  the  line  of  route  between  the  coast  and 
Katanga. 

Onward  from  1887  until  the  time  of  his  fur- 
lough home  in  1892  Mr.  Swan  most  ably 
directed  the  extension  of  missionary  work  in 
the  kingdom  of  Garenganze.  His  love  for  the 
children,  his  perception  of  native  peculiarities, 
his  unflinching  assertion  of  justice,  and  his 
sowing  of  Divine  truth  severally  contributed  to 
the  success  of  Mr.-Swan's  enterprise.    On  the 


1 68  Planting  the  Flag  in  Katanga. 


journey  from  the  West  Coast  of  Africa  to  the 
interior  he  had  a  full  share  of  difficulties  in- 
cluding four  attacks  of  fever  and,  was  vexingly 
delayed  by  powerful  chiefs  who  demanded 
cloths,  powder,  guns,  etc.  These  chiefs  were 
terrible  despots  whose  orders,  however  unjust 
they  might  be,  the  people  dare  not  refuse, 
knowing  that  any  resistance  would  be  visited 
with  death.  Msidi,  the  King  of  Katanga,  had 
thousands  of  wives.  So  numerous  were  these 
Amazons  that  Mr.  Swan  spoke  of  them  being 
"  about  as  plentiful  as  the  rain-drops."  Mainly 
through  this  body  Msidi  ruled  his  subjects. 
Every  important  village  had  one  of  these 
women,  who,  besides  receiving  tribute,  kept  the 
chief  posted  up  with  what  occurred.  For  all 
kinds  of  offences,  whether  great  or  small,  the 
penalty  of  capital  punishment  was  rigorously 
enforced.  Greatly  as  the  inhabitants  of  Gare- 
nganze  delighted  in  battle  and  were  of  a  warlike 
temperament  they  were  exceedingly  industri- 
ous and  skilled  workers  in  copper  and  other 
materials.  In  religious  matters  the  natives  had 
Gtrange  ideas  of  a  Supreme  Being  in  whom  they 


Planting  ihc  Flag  in  Katanga.  169 


firmly  believed  as  controlling  the  destinies  of 
men.  Fctichism  and  witchcraft  had  a  strong 
hold  upon  them  ;  no  one  was  supposed  to  die 
a  natural  death.  Revolting  cruelties  were  in- 
flicted and,  the  horrible  look  of  the  villages,  the 
defences  of  which  were  surmounted  by  human 
skulls,  did  not  give  the  traveller  or  missionary 
a  comfortable  feeling.  For  three  years  Mr. 
Swan  and  Mr.  Faulknorwere  the  solitary  white 
missionaries  in  the  country  and,  during  that 
time  they  only  received  three  mails  from  En- 
gland. Three  more  missionaries  afterwards 
entered  Garenganze,  Messrs.  Laing,  Thompson, 
and  Crawford,  who  had  a  hearty  greeting  from 
the  chief  and  the  natives.  When  Mr.  Swan 
purposed  leaving  for  a  home-sojourn  Msidi, 
considering  him  a  great  friend,  refused  to  allow 
the  missionary's  departure.  Eventually  Mr. 
Swan's  exit  was  effected  by  the  arrival  of  the 
staff  of  a  Congo  Free  State  expedition.  He 
joined  the  returning  caravan  and,  in  68  days 
reached  the  first  Congo  station,  thence  sailed 
down  the  waters  of  the  Congo,  and,  in  six  weeks' 
time  set  foot  on  British  shores,  having  been 


I  70  Planting  the  Flag  in  Katanga. 


away  from  England  exactly  six  years  and 
seventeen  days.  The  distance  from  the  West 
Coast  of  Africa  to  Garenganze  was  900  miles, 
the  journey  occupying  upwards  of  four  months. 

Of  Lieutenant  Le  Marinel,  the  young  Belgian 
officer  who  was  in  the  service  of  the  Free  State 
and  the  first  traveller  to  reach  Bunkcia,  from 
the  Congo,  Mr.  Swan  speaks  in  the  kindliest 
terms.  With  this  oiificer  Mr.  Swan  journeyed 
back  to  the  Congo  River.  Le  Marinel's  expe- 
dition has  been  productive  of  valuable  data 
respecting  the  geographical  and  ethnological 
characteristics  of  the  regions  traversed.  He 
crossed  the  basin  of  three  rivers — the  Sankou-  * 
rou,  Lomami,  and  the  Lualaba,  and  passed 
through  rich  and  fertile  lands  not  previously 
trodden  by  white  men's  footsteps.  Tribes  of 
savages  were  seen  who  painted  their  faces  in 
loud-toned  hues  and  their  entire  bodies  on 
special  occasions  ;  their  hair  being  folded  up 
into  thick  mats  and  coloured  with  mingled 
dyes.  These  natives  were  extremely  ignorant 
of  anybody  or  anything  outside  their  own  im- 
mediate domains  and,  unacquainted  with  the 


Planiiiig  the  Flag  in  Katanga.  171 


art  of  war.  They  contented  themselves  in  the 
petty  feuds  of  individuals  and  families.  Msidi 
saluted  Lc  Marincl  in  a  cordial  spirit,  having  the 
impression  that  his  visitor  would  supply  him 
with  powder  and  ammunition  for  use  against 
some  of  his  rebellious  subjects.  On  discover- 
ing that  Le  Marinel's  good  offices  were  limited 
to  expressions  of  loyal  friendship  and  did  not 
include  the  sinews  of  war,  the  monarch's  atti- 
tude changed  for  a  time.  Prior  to  Le  Marinel 
returning  to  the  Congo  amicable  relations  were 
again  established.  The  Belgian  explorer  found 
that  the  earlier  reports  of  Msidi's  declining 
health  were  confirmed.  He  had  reigned  for  a 
long  period,  was  in  old  age,  very  feeble,  and 
broken  in  spirit.  For  many  years  he  had  ob- 
jected to  have  the  slightest  intercourse  with 
white  men  before  the  missionaries  gained  his 
esteem  and  secured  permission  to  settle  in  his 
capital.  Since  the  month  of  June,  l8gi,  when 
Le  Marincl  left  Msidi's  territory  nothing  was 
h-eard  of  the  patriarchal  chief  until  the  arrival 
of  a  brief  telegram  in  April,  1892,  announcing 
that  Msidi,  the  King  of  Katanga,  had  been  de- 


1 72  Planting  the  Flag  in  Katanga. 


posed,  an  event  probably  not  unconnected 
with  the  advance  of  the  four  trading  expedi- 
tions upon  Katanga.  Following  his  return  to 
England  Mr.  Swan,  the  missionary,  at  the  in- 
vitation of  the  King  of  the  Belgians  travelled  to 
Brussels,  to  give  His  Majesty  such  information 
as  he  possessed  bearing  on  the  kingdom  over 
which  Msidi  has  ruled  for  several  years. 

Fruitless  attempts  were  made  from  the  south, 
in  1 890- 1,  to  enter  Katanga.  A  daring  travel- 
ler, Mr.  A.  Sharpe,  one  of  Mr.  H.  H.  Johnston's 
vice-consuls,  and  whose  journeys  of  exploration 
in  Central  Africa  have  been  signally  successful, 
tried  to  reach  Katanga  to  present  the  creden- 
tials of  Great  Britain.  On  this  errand  the  ex- 
peditionary party  suffered  terrible  hardships  in 
the  countries  adjoining  Msidi's  dominions. 
Baffled  for  awhile  Mr.  Sharpe  made  interest- 
ing discoveries  north  of  Lake  Moero  and,  mov- 
ing afterwards,  in  a  south-westerly  direction, 
entered  Cazembe's  capital.  In  this  ferocious 
potentate's  country  where  human  sacrifices  are 
of  frequent  occurrence  Mr.  Sharpe  had  the 
hospitality  of  a  barbaric  ruler  for  eight  days. 


Planting  the  Flag  in  Katanga,    i  73 


The  traveller  was  informed  that  during  the 
last  one  hundred  years  only  four  Europeans 
had  visited  Cazembe's  land.  Mr.  Sharpe  was 
able  to  verify  the  stories  of  the  rich  gold  de- 
posits to  the  south  of  Lake  Moero,  which  may 
possibly  result  in  the  state  becoming  the  cen- 
tre of  a  flourishing  mining  industry.  Notwith- 
standing the  obstacles  which  Cazembe  planted 
in  the  way  of  Mr.  Sharpe  getting  into  Msidi's 
capital,  the  explorer  had  the  satisfaction  of 
seeing  the  wily,  old  monarch,  though  he  does 
not  appear  in  the  course  of  the  six  days'  inter- 
view to  have  had  a  gracious  reception  or  re- 
ceived special  material  advantages.  About  the 
same  period  Mr.  Joseph  Thomson  was  endeav- 
ouring to  set  foot  in  Katanga.  To  Mr.  Thom- 
son's misfortune,  most  of  his  followers  were 
struck  down  with  small-pox,  which  prevented 
the  distinguished  traveller  from  penetrating 
Msidi's  kingdom.  Much  interest  is  excited  in 
the  prospects  of  the  four  exploring  parties  ap- 
proaching Garenganze  in  1892.  Captain  Stairs, 
one  of  Stanley's  former  ofificers,  was  command- 
ing a  force  from  the  east  coast  for  exploration 


I  74  Pla7iiing  tJie  flag  in  Kaianga. 


and  imposing  the  suzerainty  of  the  Congo  Free 
State  and  Anglo-Belgian  Katanga  Company 
over  Msidi's  provinces  ;  Lieutenant  Dhanis  was 
leading  a  second  ;  the  Delcommune  expedition 
was  going  inland  from  Ngongo-Lutita  ;  and, 
Captain  Bia,  starting  in  November,  1891,  was 
in  charge  of  a  fourth,  journeying  by  the  route 
which  Lieutenant  Le  Marinel  opened. 

Of  what  may  be  termed  African  Folk-Lore 
relating  to  tribes  living  westward  of  Katanga, 
Mr.  Swan  pens  useful  jottings  which  point  to 
the  origin  of  some  of  the  names  borne  by  Afri- 
can races.  Says  the  missionary  of  natives  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  the  river  Lubi,  when  he 
was  travelling  with  Le  Marinel : — 

"  Not  far  distant  from  these  parts  many  of  the  Luba 
people  have  the  combination  '  Bashila '  in  their  fam- 
ily name — for  instance,  the  Bashilange  (Kalamba's 
people),  Bashilambwa,  Bashilanzefu.  M.  Le  Marinel 
and  I  were  talking  over  the  probable  meanmg  of  the 
combination.  We  knew  that  Ba  was  a  plural  prefix, 
but  it  was  not  until  after  some  thought  that  I  remem- 
bered that  the  word  shila  (sometimes  chila  or  jila)  is 
that  which  the  Luba  people  use  for  'antipathy.'  if  I 
were  to  ask  the  Yeke  people  why  they  do  not  cat 
zebra  flesh,  they  would  reply,  '  Chijila' — i.  e.,  'It  is  a 
thing  to  which  we  have  an  antipathy,'  or,  perhaps, 


Planiing  the  Flag  in  Katanga.  1/5 


better,  '  It  is  one  of  the  tilings  which  our  fathers 
taught  us  not  to  eat.'  The  Biheans  use  the  word  chi- 
kola  to  express  the  same  thing.  The  words  nge, 
mbvva,  nzefu,  in  the  above  combinations  mean  re- 
spectively leopard,  dog,  elephant.  So  it  seems  as 
though  the  word  Rashilange  means  '  the  people  who 
have  an  antipatliy  to  the  leopard  ';  the  Bashilambwa, 
'  those  who  have  an  antipathy  to  the  dog';  and  the 
Bashilanzefu,  '  those  who  have  an  antipathy  to  the 
elephant.'  We  called  a  native,  and,  after  a  great  deal 
of  questioning,  he  understood  what  we  were  driving 
at,  and  we  found  our  conclusion  to  be  correct.  He 
then  told  us  how  the  Bashilambwa  and  the  Bashi- 
lanzefu got  their  names.  At  one  time  they  were  only 
known  as  the  Bashilambwa,  because  they  considered 
it  was  wrong  to  eat  the  dog.  But  one  day  a  number 
of  them  went  across  the  Lubi  River  to  hunt  elephants, 
and  stayed  many  days,  during  which  rains  had  fallen, 
the  river  became  much  swollen,  and  when  the  hunters 
returned  they  could  not  cross.  While  they  were  won- 
dering what  to  do  an  elephant  came  past,  and,  seeing 
that  they  were  troubled,  asked  what  was  the  matter. 
They  were  all  much  surprised,  of  course,  to  hear  the 
elephant  speak.  But  it  went  on,  saying  they  must 
not  be  surprised,  for  it  was  a  human  being  like  them- 
selves ;  they  could  not  cross  the  river,  but  it  could 
very  easily,  and  advised  them  to  get  on  its  back,  which 
they  did,  and  reached  the  other  side  in  safety.  Ever 
since  that  time  they  have  refused  to  eat  the  flesh 
of  the  elephant,  and  are  now  known  as  the  Bashi- 
lanzefu." 


Contributions  of  this  class  which  bear  on  the 


I  76   Planting  the  flag  in  Katanga. 


customs,  traditions,  and  philology  of  strange 
peoples  are  always  welcomed.  In  the  same 
section  of  investigation  Dr.  Turner,  Dr.  Inglis, 
and  a  number  of  eminent  South  Sea  mission- 
aries have  collected  facts  illustrative  of  Poly- 
nesian races  which  Professor  Max  Mullcr,  Sir 
H.  Tylor,  and  scientific  scholars  have  much  ap- 
preciated. 

By  enthusiastically  uplifting  the  missionary 
cross  the  outlook  in  the  kingdom  of  Gare- 
nganze  has  distinct  promise,  for  which  the  lives 
of  some  of  the  missionaries  have  been  laid 
down.  At  the  threshold  of  the  campaign  the 
names  of  martyrs  are  inscribed  on  its  "  bede  " 
roll.  That  tragic,  yet  sublime  declaration  of 
an  African  missionary  : — "  Ah  !  I  am  one  of 
those  men  whose  dead  bodies  will  fill  the 
trench  to  make  it  easier  for  others  to  come 
after  us,  and  walk  over  us,  and  take  the  cita- 
del," has  an  eloquent  enforcement  in  the  mis- 
sion annals  of  Garenganze.  Through  such  sac- 
rifices the  dawn  is  breaking  on  darkest  regions 
and  the  prospect  of  a  better  day  already  ap- 
pears on  the  horizon.    Severe  is  the  calling  of 


Planting  the  Flag  in  Katanga,    i  77 


men  and  women  at  Equatorial  African  out- 
posts who  arc  "  painfully  plodding  on  in  their 
frequently  thankless  task  of  impregnating  the 
dull  minds  of  Africans  sodden  with  barbarism, 
with  the  light  of  religious  ideas."  All  that 
men  most  admire  has  exhibition  on  these  far 
away  fields  in  the  conflicts  of  faith.  Zeal,  earn- 
estness, trust,  and  self-abnegation  are  the  hall- 
marks of  these  ambassadors  of  love.  They 
have  seen  and  responded  to  the  observation 
of  Mr.  Stanley  that,  "  the  time  has  come  and 
the  hour  has  struck  for  civilisation  to  enter 
Africa,  to  remember  the  blessing  of  Living- 
stone, and  in  the  name  of  God  and  the  Chris- 
tian nations,  to  steer  right  onward."  It  must 
be  that  in  God's  own  season  these  scenes  of 
labour  shall  become  the  witnesses  of  growingly 
fragrant  toil. 


MISSIONARY  ADVANCE  UP  THE 
CONGO  WATERWAY. 


(179) 


X. 


MISSIONARY  ADVANCE   UP  THE 
CONGO  WATERWAY. 

Fourth  in  magnitude  of  the  great  African 
rivers,  the  Congo,  which  Stanley  announced  to 
the  world  on  his  arrival  at  Boma  in  1877  to  be 
identical  with  the  Lualaba  of  the  interior,  and 
partially  explored  by  Livingstone,  has  become 
in  little  over  one  decade  a  principal  missionary 
and  trading  sphere  of  the  Dark  Continent.  The 
Lower  Congo, — from  its  mouth,  terminates  at 
the  Falls  of  Yellala,  whence  the  second  stage — 
the  Middle  Congo — reaches  to  Stanley  Pool,  a 
distance  of  350  miles  from  the  Atlantic  Ocean. 
Above  Stanley  Pool  opens  the  Upper  Congo, 
extending  to  Stanley  Falls,  1,500  miles  inland, 
and,  far  beyond  into  the  depths  of  Africa. 
For  940  miles  this  latter  section  is  navigable. 
On  the  lower  parts  of  the  river,  Puerto  da 
Lenha,  once  had  notoriety  for  the  slave  ships 
which  arrived  there  to  receive  thousands  of 
cargoes  of  slaves  for  shipment  to  other  shores, 

(:8i) 


iB^.  Missionary  Advance 


and,  some  31  miles  higher  up  the  river  stands 
Boma,  in  picturesque  surroundings,  formerly 
the  greatest  slave  market  in  the  world.  Several 
stations  were  planted  in  succession  on  the 
Congo  by  Stanley  for  the  Comit6  des  Etudes 
du  Haut.  The  first  of  the  five  leading  stations 
was  established  at  Vivi,  115  miles  from  the  sea, 
the  portal  of  the  new  country,  followed  at  in- 
tervals by  Isanghila,  Stanley  Pool,  Leopold- 
ville,  Ibaka,  and  a  number  of  auxiliary  stations. 

In  1891  it  was  calculated  that  the  foreign  pop- 
ulation of  the  State  of  which  Boma  is  the  capital, 
numbered  800,  mostly  of  European  nationali- 
ties, and,  of  the  72  English  and  35  Swedes,  the 
greater  part— over  80  in  all — were  missionaries. 
The  opening  of  the  Congo  railroad  from  Ma- 
tadi,  to  the  Leopold  Ravine,  is  a  strong  link  of 
union  towards  the  furtherance  of  intercourse 
and  commercial  relations  between  the  whites 
and  the  natives.  Civilisation  too,  will  rapidly 
follow  in  its  track  and  slavery  receive  a  stagger- 
ing blow.  For  the  slave  trade  and  the  locomo- 
tive to  exist  side  by  side  in  Africa  is  an  utter 
impossibility. 


up  the  Congo  Waterway.        1 83 

The  year  1878,  annus  inirabilis  in  African 
missionary  records,  marks  the  entrance  of  the 
English  Baptists  into  the  Congo  Valley.  Of 
the  pioneers'  fourteen  years  of  struggle  only 
fragmentary  narratives  have  been  published, 
yet  enough  has  come  to  light  to  establish  their 
claims  upon  the  gratitude  and  admiration  of 
the  Christian  Church.  Soldiers  and  heroines 
of  faith  they  have  served,  suffered,  and,  often 
laid  down  their  lives  in  the  endeavour  to  satisfy 
the  lifelong  hunger  of  Congo's  millions.  It  is 
not  forgotten  that  when  the  Baptist  Missionary 
Society  presented  the  renowned  explorer,  Mr. 
Stanley,  with  an  address  seven  years  ago  at  a 
public  breakfast  in  London  he  spoke  in  elo- 
quent terms  of  the  Baptist  missionaries  and 
their  American  fellow-toilers  on  the  Congo. 
For  their  progress  Mr.  Stanley  had  rendered 
esteemed  co-operation  which  added  to  his 
eulogy  of  the  missionaries  as  "  labourers  who 
toiled  as  he  had  seen  them  much  more  severely 
than  he  could  do  in  the  heart  of  Africa,  many 
of  them  being  bright  examples  of  the  blessing 
to  be  derived  from  honest  work."  Of  the  Bap- 


184  Missionary  Advance 


tist  death-roll  on  the  Congo  it  had  been  said : 
"  no  Christian  Church  had  supphed  a  nobler 
contingent  to  the  army  of  martyrs."  In  this 
martyr  circle  the  name  of  Comber,  is  mourn- 
fully illustrious,  embracing  the  missionaries — 
Dr.  Sidney  Comber,  Mr.  Thomas  J.  Comber, 
Mrs.  Hay,  her  sister,  Mrs.  Thomas  J.  Comber, 
then,  Mrs.  Percy  Comber,  who  reached  Africa 
in  May,  1890,  and,  some  months  later  fell  a 
victim  to  the  malanous  climate.  Sorrow  over 
this  last  sacrifice  had  not  ceased  ere  the  sad  in- 
telligence reached  England  in  March,  1892,  that 
the  Rev.  Percy  E,  Comber,  surviving  his  young 
wife  only  by  twelve  months,  had  succumbed  to 
the  terrible  African  fever  ;  his  death  chivalrously 
crowning  a  pathetic  episode  in  the  history  of 
the  Congo  Mission.  The  Combers, — three 
brothers,  one  sister,  and  two  wives, — six  in  all, 
a  noble,  self-sacrificing  family,  dying  on  the 
Congo  in  the  cause  of  missions,  present  a 
martyrs'  page  not  eclipsed  even  in  the  martyr- 
doms of  apostolic  days.  Dr.  Maclaren  justifia- 
bly said  at  the  Liverpool  gathering  in  celebra- 
on  of  the  Baptist  Missionary  Centenary  Fund 


lip  tJtc  Co7igo  Watcrivay.  185 


that  the  Baptist  Society  had  claims  for  support 
on  the  ground  of  the  many  martj-rs  and  saints 
who  had  gained  possession  af  Africa  with  their 
blood  ;  and  of  the  Congo,  taken  at  the  expense 
of  many  sacred  graves.  With  increasing  ac- 
quaintance of  the  climatic  conditions  on  the 
Congo  the  record  of  losses,  previously  so  fatal 
to  missionary  effort,  has  been  less  serious  lately. 
The  lives  of  these  pioneers  have  not  been 
wasted.  On  the  fields  which  they  have  ploughed 
and,  into  which  they  have  thrown  the  seeds 
other  labourers  will  stand  to  gather  in  the 
spiritual  sheaves.  The  dust  of  the  Combers — 
lovingly  faithful  souls — consecrates  African 
soil  afresh  to  the  glory  of  Christ  and  His 
kingdom.  They  have  left  no  uncertain  answer 
to  the  question  put  many  years  since,  "  Is  En- 
gland to  be  a  beast  of  burden  or,  is  she  to  be 
an  evangelist  to  all  the  world''  " 

Upwards  of  a  score  of  flourishing  stations 
such  as  Leopoldville,  Nyombe,  and  Lukelela, 
on  the  Lower  and  Upper  Congo,  denote  the 
footsteps  of  English  Baptist  missionaries,  which 
carry  the  promise  of  future  developments  and 


1 86  Missionary  Advance 


conquests.  From  the  base  at  Leopoldville  the 
work  of  the  Society  extends  over  900  miles  up 
the  river  and,  to  it  belongs  the  honour  01  hav- 
ing launched  in  1882  the  first  decked  steamer 
on  the  upper  river, —  The  Peace,  a  gift  of  Mr. 
Arthington,  Leeds.  This  historic  little  craft, 
not  sufficiently  large  or  swift  enough  for  pres- 
ent use  has  been  requisitioned  by  the  Congo 
Free  State.  The  boiler  of  the  Peace  was 
completely  fitted  up  by  some  of  the  mission 
boys  and  steam  raised  three  days  after  her  con- 
struction was  commenced.  Her  successor  on 
the  Upper  Congo  will  be  the  Goodwill,  a  new 
mission  steamer  on  the  twin-screw  turbine 
system,  with  twice  the  capacity  of  her  prede- 
cessor, being  84  feet  long  and  13  feet  beam,  and 
drawing  2  ft.  2  in.  laden  with  cargo.  Each  piece 
of  the  vessel  with  hull,  boiler,  and  engine,  will 
be  carried  on  the  shoulders  of  natives  some  230 
miles  over  rough  hilly  roads  to  her  destination 
at  Stanley  Pool.  The  specifications  were  drawn 
up  by  Mr.  George  Grenfell,  the  honoured  and 
gifted  missionary,  who  will  superintend  the 
building.    Welcomed  service  will  be  rendered 


up  the  Congo  Waterivay.  187 


by  the  Goodxvill  in  communicating  Vvith  the 
missionaries  and  stations  hundreds  of  miles 
apart.  In  aiding  this  branch  of  mission  work 
it  is  proposed  by  the  Centenary  Fund  to  devote 
£^,000  for  the  purchase  of  a  Congo  steamer. 
How  faintly  are  the  huge  waterways  of  the 
Congo  apprehended  !  It  is  reported  that  1,000 
miles  of  its  course  have  never  been  visited  by 
any  missionary  and,  another  2,000  miles  only 
had  a  passing  glimpse.  Facts  of  this  nature 
demonstrate  the  need  of  a  missionary  flotilla  to 
cruise  on  these  broad,  shining  waters  in  the 
Master's  name. 

The  disappointment  that  four  only  of  the 
proposed  ten  fresh  stations  have  been  erected 
since  1885  is  due  to  the  frequent  sickness  and 
decease  of  missionary  workers  and,  in  a  meas- 
ure, to  the  difificulties  which  beset  the  mission- 
aries among  such  a  diversity  of  tribes  and 
strange  languages.  "  They  were  face  to  face," 
said  Mr.  Grenfell,  "  with  the  darkest  mass  of 
heathendom  the  world  knew."  Keenly  were 
the  ambassadors  of  peace  alive  to  the  enormous 
dimensions  of  the  task  before  them  and  prayer- 


Missiona)-)'  Advance 


fully  begged  the  churches  at  home  to  stand  by 
them  in  sending  forth  volunteers  for  the  great 
campaign.  The  missionaries  and  explorers 
knew  6,000  miles  of  river,  or  a  coast  line  of 
12,000  miles,  in  Central  Africa,  the  villages  and 
towns  along  which  were  all  approachable  by 
the  missionary.  There  is  intense  dismay  in 
Congo  missionary  organisations  that  at  a  time 
when  slave-dealing  on  the  lower  stretches  of  the 
river  is  declining  another  awful  evil  has  been 
brought  in  by  the  white  man.  Says  Mr.  Gren- 
fell,  "Year  by  year  the  infamous  liquor  traffic 
was  doing  more  and  more  to  steal  from  the  na- 
tives their  freedom,  and  to  bring  them  under  a 
yoke  not  less  terrible  than  that  of  slavery.  To 
many  of  them  (the  missionaries),  it  was  an  open 
question  whether  the  slave  trade  was  ever  a 
greater  curse  to  the  poor  African  than  the 
liquor  traffic  was  to-day ;  a  traffic  which  was 
reducing  him  to  a  wreck,  mentally,  morally, 
and  physically."  The  wide-spread  effects  of 
drink  are  so  fearful  that  the  missionaries  seem 
well  nigh  paralysed  by  its  presence  and  in  every 
direction  strenuous  endeavours  are  being  made 


tip  i lie  Congo  Waterway.  189 

to  urge  the  Powers,  and  the  Congo  Free  State, 
to  restrict  the  importation  of  this  abomination 
into  the  State,  a  territory  having  an  area  of 
1,056,200  square  miles  and  a  population  of 
27,000,000  souls. 

In  the  call  to  evangelisation,  strongly  as  Mr. 
Grenfcll  believes  that  the  leadership  and  organ- 
ising qualifications  of  foreign  missionaries  are 
required,  he  is  persuaded  that  the  African  na- 
tion will  not  be  mainly  or  ultimately  evangel- 
ised by  whites.  He  points  to  an  immense  region 
in  Central  Africa,  with  an  area  of  4,000,000 
square  miles,  larger  than  the  whole  of  Europe, 
not  at  present  touched  by  a  single  missionary 
and  he  declares  that  the  heart  of  the  Dark 
Continent  cannot  permanently  be  occupied  by 
white  missionaries.  The  greater  part  of  the 
work  must  be  done  by  the  natives  themselves 
who  happily  are  showing  fitness  for  the  task. 
Foreign  missionaries  are  less  able  to  grapple 
with  the  conditions  of  native  life  than  African- 
born  agents  of  whose  gifts  for  carrying  spiritual 
tidings  Miss  Silvey  has  penned  encouraging 
testimonies.    To  the  missionaries'  appeal  for 


IQO  Missionary  Advance 


helpers,  numbers  of  the  natives,  God-fearing 
men,  were  nobly  responding  and  freely  conse- 
crating themselves  that  they  might  win  obedi- 
ence to  the  faith  from  their  countrymen  who, 
in  their  turn  would  bear  the  light  of  heaven  to 
the  dark  regions  beyond. 

To  Mr.  Grenfell  is  allowed  the  foremost  place 
in  the  group  of  English  Baptist  missionaries  on 
the  Congo,  in  his  threefold  capacity  of  pioneer- 
explorer,  leader,  and  missionary.  African  geog- 
raphy has  been  enriched  by  his  notable  dis- 
covery, that  the  Mobangi,  now  proved  to  be 
the  Welle,  flowing  from  the  Central  Soudan,  is 
probably  the  Congo's  principal  tributary.  For 
this  and  other  explorations  he  has  received  the 
decoration  of  "  Chevalier  of  the  Order  of  Leo- 
pold," from  the  King  of  the  Belgians,  and  one 
of  the  Royal  Geographical  Society's  gold 
medals,  while  his  civilising  and  Christianising 
labours  have  been  acknowledged  in  every  part 
of  the  world.  The  King  of  the  Belgians  holds 
Mr.  Grenfell  in  high  regard,  a  proof  of  which  is 
to  hand  in  Mr.  Grenfcll's  acceptance  of  mem- 
bership at  the  King's  request,  on  the  Belgian 


np  the  Congo  Waterway.  191 


Commission  for  the  delimitation  of  the  boun- 
dary between  the  Free  State  and  Portuguese 
territory  in  the  Lunda  country.  As  observed 
recently  by  Dr.  Maclaren  of  Manchester,  this 
gallant  missionary  is  one  of  those  who  have 
hazarded  their  lives  for  Christianity.  In  cer- 
tain quarters  there  is  regret  at  the  proclama- 
tion by  the  King  of  the  Belgians  to  the  Pope, 
that  the  Roman  Catholic  form  of  Christianity 
is  to  be  the  recognised  religion  of  the  Free 
State,  and  that  His  Majesty  has  placed  his 
African  dominions  under  the  direct  protection 
of  the  Virgin  Mary,  as  the  patron  saint  of  the 
Free  State.  The  announcement  does  not  give 
the  Protestant  missionaries  any  anxiety  as  they 
have  every  facility  for  missionary  aggression 
and  unvarying  courtesy  from  the  King's  officials. 
Of  the  prevalence  of  slave-raiding  on  the 
upper  banks  and  waters  of  the  Congo,  revela- 
tions were  published  similar  to  those  dating 
from  the  northern  bends  of  the  Niger,  the  head 
of  Tanganyika,  and  Bornu.  Commander  V. 
Lovett  Cameron,  a  traveller  of  unquestioned 
veracit}',  said,  "  the  part  of  Africa  where  this 


192  Missionary  Advance 


detestable  hunting  after,  murdering,  and  enslav- 
ing human  beings  was  carried  on  in  the  worst 
manner,  was  the  eastern  portion  of  the  Congo 
State."  Equally  emphatic,  and  of  later  date, 
was  the  evidence  of  an  independent  English 
trader  concerning  the  same  region.  Gladly 
acknowledging  that  the  slave  trade  on  the 
Lower  Congo  was  dying  out  with  the  exception 
of  domestic  slavery,  he  continues,  "  but  in  all 
places  of  the  higher  Congo,  slavery  is  being 
carried  on  at  this  present  moment.  Slavery 
among  the  tribes  being  part  and  parcel  of  their 
social  system,  they  naturally  will  not  part  with 
their  custom  until  they  are  made  to.  Slavery 
is  carried  on  briskly  in  the  cataract  regions,  be- 
tween the  lower  and  upper  Congo,  but  cer- 
tainly, further  in  the  interior  the  trade  is  more 
common,  and  of  larger  proportions.  As  regards 
the  Arabs,  it  is  a  very  well  known  fact  that  they 
are  the  most  inveterate  of  all  slavers  ;  they  are 
not  of  the  tribes,  and  therefore  have  no  social 
system  to  appeal  to  as  a  license.  They  do  not 
procure  slaves  for  carriers,  unless  the  poor 
things  who  are  marched  in  files  across  country, 


Mp  the  Co7igo  Waterzvay. 


193 


sometimes  for  months  at  a  time,  can  be  termed 
carriers  of  their  own  marketable  bodies.  Yes  ; 
in  that  sense  they  are  carriers."  Here,  as  on 
the  shores  of  Tanganyika  the  slave-dealing 
Arabs  are  being  resisted  by  Europeans.  A  mes- 
sage was  received  in  March,  1892,  at  the  offices 
of  the  Congo  Free  State  in  Brussels,  from  Cap- 
tain Ponthier,  who  has  been  operating  against 
the  Arab  slave-raiders  guilty  of  devastating 
the  regions  north  and  south  of  the  Upper 
Wcllc.  Captain  Ponthier  met  with  consider- 
able success,  destroying  two  Arab  strongholds. 
One  of  these  was  situated  on  three  small  islands 
some  way  above  the  mouth  of  the  Bomokandi, 
while  the  other  was  a  fortified  camp  on  the 
Mokongo.  The  Arabs  had  laid  waste  the  whole 
country  with  fire  and  sword,  the  natives  being 
powerless  to  oppose  them.  By  Captain  Pon- 
thier's  forces  the  Arabs  were  completely  de- 
feated and  250  slaves  set  at  liberty. 

The  Swedish  African  explorer,  Dr.  West- 
mark,  furnished  in  1891,  thrilling  narrations  of 
his  explorations  on  the  Upper  Congo,  amid  the 
cannibal  and  slave-capturing  tribes  in  Bangalad. 


194 


Missionary  Advance 


The  country  itself  was  a  natural  paradise,  fer- 
tile, luxuriant,  and  of  variegated  beauty  and 
loveliness,  the  haunt  of: — 

"  The  mountain  wooded  to  the  peak,  the  lawns 
And  winding  glades  high  up  like  ways  to  Heaven, 
The  slender  coco's  drooping  crown  of  plumes, 
The  lightning  flash  of  insect  and  of  bird. 
The  lustre  of  the  long  convolvuluses 
That  coil'd  around  the  stately  stems," 

where  man  alone  was  fearfully  vile.  Slavery 
flourished  there  and  polygamy  is  practised.  A 
man  can  sell  wife  and  children  according  to  his 
owil  depraved  pleasure.  Women  are  the  slave 
drudges,  the  men  spending  their  hours  in  eat- 
ing, drinking,  and  sleeping.  Cannibalism  in  its 
worst  features  prevails.  Young  women  are 
prized  as  special  delicacies,  particularly  girls' 
ears,  prepared  in  palm-oil  and,  in  order  to  make 
the  flesh  more  palatable,  the  luckless  victims 
are  kept  in  water  up  to  their  necks  for  three 
or  four  days  before  they  are  slaughtered  and 
served  as  food.  The  religious  views  of  these 
cannibals  are  extremely  crude.  Their  highest 
object  of  adoration  is  Satan,  whom  they  repre- 
sent to  be  white  and,  to  whose  glory  on  great 


tip  the  Congo  Waterway.        \  95 


festival  occasions  cannibalism  is  perpetrated,  in 
forest-deeps  unseen,  in  tragedies  of  the  most 
awful  and  revolting  kind. 

To  check  and,  finally,  to  blot  out  the  infa- 
mous scourge  of  slavery  in  Darkest  Africa,  the 
forces  of  civilised  lands  and  the  resources  of 
Christendom  are  leagued  together  as  in  no 
previous  age.  The  Slave  Trade  which  Pitt  long 
ago  called  "  the  greatest  practical  evil  that  ever 
afflicted  the  human  race,"  is  doomed.  Com- 
merce, railways,  industries,  colonisation,  barri- 
cades, military  patrols,  blockades,  and  slave 
refuges,  are  severally  combating  its  existence 
and  power.  Superior  to  these  in  the  annihila- 
tion of  this  foe  to  man,  appears  the  silent  min- 
istry of  Christianity  planting  its  roots  and  dif- 
fusing its  rays  over  the  Congo  watershed,  across 
the  Soudan,  and,  in  Central  Africa.  In  speed- 
ing the  daybreak  of  emancipation  on  the  Congo, 
and  its  tributaries,  glorious  deeds  have  been 
wrought  by  the  American  Baptist  Missionary 
Union,  the  Swedish  Society,  the  Congo  Balolo 
Mission,  the  English  Baptists,  and,  the  co- 
workers with  the  apostolic  William  Taylor, 


196  Missionary  Advance  up  the  Congo. 


"  Missionary  Bishop  of  Africa,"  whose  respect- 
ive ensigns  and  missionaries  have  alleviated 
sorrow,  lessened  cruelty,  dispelled  ignorance, 
broken  slave  chains,  conquered  paganism,  and 
triumphantly  uplifted  the  Cross  of  Christ. 


MISSIONS  ON  THE  NIGER  RIVER. 


(197) 


\ 


I 


XL 


MISSIONS  ON  THE  NIGER  RIVER. 

Springing  in  the  Kong  Mountains  and 
coursing  northeasterly  towards  Timbuctoo,  and, 
again,  south-southeast-vvard,  receiving  in  lat.  7° 
40'  N.  the  Binue,  from  the  sandy  depths  of  the 
Western  Soudan,  the  Niger, — the  second  great- 
est river  on  the  West  Coast  of  Africa, — has  an 
estintiated  length  of  2,500  miles.  This  impos- 
ing waterway  empties  itself  into  the  Gulf  of 
Guinea  by  some  twenty-two  branches  which 
flow  through  the  channelled  mangrove-crowned 
islands  of  its  delta.  All  the  renowned  explor- 
ers of  the  Niger,  Mungo  Park,  Caill6,  Lander, 
Allen,  Laird,  Crowther,  and  Dinger,  have  de- 
scribed in  vivid  colours  its  winding  track  and 
charming  inland  landscapes.  Three  names 
designate  the  divisions  of  this  mighty  river: 
the  Niger  Delta,  the  Lower  Niger,  and  the 
Upper  Niger.  The  low'er  half  of  the  Niger 
Delta  occupied  by  thousands  of  natives  runs 

(199) 


I 


200    Missions  on  the  N^igrr  River. 


into  the  interior  fifty  miles,  with  a  zigzag  coast 
line,  upwards  of  two  hundred  miles  in  length. 
To  the  pestilential  effluvia  rising  from  fetid 
mud-banks  native  life  presents  a  dark  counter- 
part in  its  enslavement  to  superstitions,  witch- 
craft, cannibalism,  and  the  white  man's  fire- 
water. Some  rays  of  light  however  have  been 
kindled  in  these  malarial  haunts  and  thickets  of 
barbarism  whence  swarthy-skinned  heralds  have 
borne  "wonderful  words  of  life"  to  the  inner 
tribes. 

A  further  ascent  of  one  of  the  winding  chan- 
nels places  the  voyager  on  the  bosom  of  the 
Niger  proper.  Gradually  the  verdure-clad 
rocky  heights  which  guard  the  shores  are  suc- 
ceeded by  low-lying  hills  and  grassy  park-land. 
Differing  racial  groups  inhabit  the  country. 
Foremost  of  these  are  the  Ibos,  skilled  in  the 
arts  of  demonology,  and  next,  the  Havisas,  a  fine 
bronze-coloured  and  polished  race,  fifteen  mill- 
ions in  number,  who  have  lately  adopted  Mo- 
hammedan rites.  To  the  north  of  these  races, 
who  are  first  approached,  spread  the  dominions 
of  the  powerful  Sultan  of  Sokoto.    Writes  an 


Missions  on  the  Niger  River.  201 


earnest  missionary  concerning  the  Mohamme- 
dan states  which  stretch  north  and  east :  "  From 
vast  walled  cities  of  fifty,  eighty,  even  a  hun- 
dred thousand  inhabitants,  caravans  are  always 
screaming  out — to  the  south  to  raid  for  slaves, 
to  the  north  African  states  across  the  Sahara 
to  sell  them.  Weavers,  dyers,  and  shoemakers 
work  hard  in  the  streets  of  these  great  cities, 
manufacturing  the  ample  clothing  that  the 
people  wear,  and  exhibit  this  remarkable  spec- 
tacle of  African  civilisation.  From  eight  de- 
grees latitude  to  the  borders  of  the  Sahara, 
and  for  3,500  miles  from  west  to  east,  this  vast 
region  of  the  Soudan  stretches  from  the  Atlan- 
tic to  the  Red  Sea,  with  a  population  nearly 
equal  to  that  of  the  whole  of  North  America, 
under  settled  rulers,  hundreds  of  thousands 
able  to  read  and  write,  eager  to  read  and  re- 
read tracts  in  Arab  character  till  the  very  paper 
is  worn  to  bits.  Yet  no  one  has  troubled  to 
send  even  a  few  tracts  into  their  great  cities." 

To  evangelise  western  and  north-central 
Africa  the  Church  Missionary  Society  has  made 
heroic  sacrifices  and,  with  its  endeavours  must 


202    Missions  on  the  Niger  River. 


be  associated  the  labours  of  American  societies 
at  Liberia,  the  Basle  Society  on  the  Gold  Coast, 
and  the  English  Wcsleyans  between  Yoruba 
and  the  Niger  delta.  It  was  in  1816  that  the 
beloved  Bickersteth  self-dcnyingly  visited  the 
first  stations,  so  that  for  more  than  seventy 
years  the  Church  Missionary  Society  has  con- 
tinuously,, though  with  chequered  episodes, 
planted  the  faith  by  the  banks  of  the  Niger. 

About  16  years  later  interest  was  rekindled 
in  the  Niger  territory  by  Lander  discovering 
the  mouth  of  the  river  and,  in  1832  the  first 
Niger  Expedition  was  initiated  by  Mr.  Mac- 
gregor  Laird,  who  built  the  iron  paddle  steamer, 
the  Qiiorra,  which  sailed  from  Liverpool  under 
Captain  Lander's  command.  This  gallant  man 
was  accompanied  by  Mr.  Laird,  Lieut.  William 
Allen,  R.N.,  and  other  explorers.  The  expedi- 
tion had  an  unhappy  experience.  Of  its  com.- 
plement  numbering  40  persons,  Mr.  Laird  and 
eight  others  alone  returned  alive  to  England. 
Undismayed,  Mr.  Laird  continued  to  be  an 
ardent  worker  for  the  exploration  of  the  Niger 
by  fitting  out  repeated  expeditions  and  equip- 


Missions  on  the  Niger  River.  203 


ping  the  steamers.  In  1841  an  expedition  was 
dispatched  by  the  British  Government  for 
which  Mr.  John  Laird,  the  founder  of  the  emi- 
nent shipbuilding  firm,  equipped  the  Albert, 
Wilberforcc,  and  tlie  Soudan.  With  this  ven- 
ture the  ardently  consecrated  Rev.  J.  F.  Schon, 
of  Sierra  Leone,  and  a  young  African  named 
Samuel  Crowther,  whose  previous  history  was 
as  romantic  as  his  subsequent  one  was  distin- 
guished in  missionary  annals,  were  identified. 
The  crews  were  stricken  with  fever  and,  of  150 
whites  42  died.  From  this  expedition  the  mis- 
sionaries had  an  opportunity  of  learning  that 
some  of  the  native  tribes  were  willing  to  receive 
Gospel  teachings.  A  further  expedition  had  a 
disastrous  issue,  followed  by  another  one  in 
1854,  both  of  which  Crowther  joined.  The  last 
of  these  noted  expeditions  sailed  in  1857,  which 
marks  the  definite  establishment  of  the  Niger 
Mission. 

The  life  of  the  first  Bishop  of  the  Niger  and 
the  only  coloured  non- European  bishop  conse- 
crated in  England  since  the  apostolic  age,  is  too 
fascinating  to  be  excluded  from  a  brief  narra- 


204     Missions  o)i  the  Niger  River. 


tion.  Thrown  into  slavery  in  youth  by  Eyo 
Mohammedans  the  boy  Adjai  suffered  terribly 
and  was  afterwards  shipped  with  a  living  cargo 
of  fellow-victims  from  the  African  coast  for 
western  shores.  Rescued  by  a  British  man-of- 
war  in  1822  he  was  landed  at  Bathurst,  near 
Free  Town,  and  there  receiving  a  good  educa- 
tion was  next  transferred  to  a  mission  at  Free 
Town.  In  1825  he  was  baptised  into  the 
Christian  religion  and  the  names — Samuel 
Crowther,  after  an  eminent  London  Evangeli- 
cal clergyman,  adopted.  A  hurried  visit  to 
England  was  followed  by  recommencing  study 
at  Fourah  Bay  College.  He  returned  again  to 
Great  Britain  and  on  the  completion  of  exten- 
sive studies  was  ordained  in  1843  fo^"  mission- 
ary service  at  Yoruba  and  Sierra  Leone  by  the 
Bishop  of  London.  The  same  year  he  founded 
in  conjunction  with  Mr.  Townsend  and  Mr, 
Gollmer  the  Yoruba  Mission,  to  which  he  de- 
voted himself  passionately  for  upwards  of 
twelve  years.  In  1846  he  met  once  more  his 
long  lost  mother  and  had  the  additional  joy  of 
ransoming  at  the  same  time  several  of  his  kin- 


Missions  on  the  Niger  River.  205 


drcd  from  slave  fetters.  Returning  from  the 
Niger  Expedition  of  1854  he  led  for  two  years 
the  Lagos  Mission,  which  was  sent  up  the  river 
in  1857;  and,  in  1864,  the  supreme  devotcdness 
of  this  master  missionary  was  recognised  by  his 
consecration  in  Canterbury  Cathedral  to  the 
Niger  Bishopric.  In  the  busiest  and  most 
active  of  his  years  he  toiled  incessantly  in 
translating  portions  of  the  Bible,  religious 
works,  and  other  kinds  of  literature  into  the 
native  tongues  and  dialects.  His  farewell  de- 
parture from  Liverpool  in  February',  1890,  in 
his  eighty-second  year,  with  a  band  of  fellow- 
labourers,  was  a  memorable  incident,  opening 
afresh  the  vision  of  missionary  possibilities  in 
a  sphere  of  trying  vicissitudes.  Nearly  two 
years  later,  on  the  31st  of  December,  1891,  the 
good  Bishop,  a  Shepherd  of  God's  flock,  went 
into  the  glory  with  a  doubtless  abundant  en- 
trance and  followed  by  the  praises  of  thousands 
of  God's  people  on  many  shores. 

A  few  weeks  afterwards  a  telegram  was  re- 
ceived, dated  March  19,  from  Brass,  by  the 
Church  Missionary  Society  announcing  in  a 


2o6     Missions  on  the  Nio-er  River. 


brief  sentence  the  death  of  Mr.  Graham  Wil- 
mot  Brooke,  the  young,  trusted,  capable,  and 
devoted  leader  of  the  Mission  on  the  Upper 
Niger: — 

"Wilmot  Brooke  at  rest — March  5 — black- 
water  fever." 

By  the  same  severe  malady  had  been  carried 
off  some  months  earlier,  Mr.  J.  A.  Robinson,  a 
gifted  Cambridge  colleague. 

The  spiritual  emancipation  of  the  Moham- 
medans occupying  the  Central  Soudan  was  the 
master  passion  of  Mr.  Brooke, — a  true  martyr- 
missionary  : — 

"  Wearing  the  lif;ht  yoke  of  that  Lord  of  love, 
Who  still'd  the  rolling  wave  of  Galilee." 

In  his  earlier  essays  to  reach  these  millions 
he  ventured  on  apostolic  lines  partly  sus- 
tained by  the  generosity  of  friends  at  home. 
It  was  in  the  course  of  his  third  perilous  jour- 
ney that  he  was  detained  upwards  of  f^ur 
months  on  the  Mobangi,  a  northern  tributary 
of  the  Congo,  and  hemmed  in  for  hundreds 
of  miles  by  the  most  savage  tribes.  Having 
grandly  failed  on  these   occasions  to  break 


Missions  on  tJie  Niger  River.  207 


through  the  barriers  of  tlie  impenetrable  Sou- 
chin  from  the  south,  he  laid  his  scheme  before 
the  Church  Missionary  Society  in  England. 
The  proposals  were  approved  and  Mr.  Brooke's 
transference  to  the  Society's  staff  in  1890,  was 
ratified  with  the  heartiest  concurrence  of  his 
former  helpers  and  patrons.  Again  he  travel- 
led eastward  along  the  Lower  and  Upper 
Niger  to  enter  the  Western  Soudan,  passing 
through  the  territories  of  sultans  and  emirs 
who  scorned  the  Christian  faith.  For  pro- 
tection against  the  Mohammedan  law  which 
threatens  with  death  the  proselytizer  and  pros- 
elytized, Mr.  Brooke  and  his  brother  evangel- 
ists had  none  save  the  divine  arm.  Electing 
to  stand  on  the  convert's  level  in  his  profession 
of  allegiance  to  Jesus  his  much  loved  Master 
and  Lord,  Graham  Wilmot  Brooke  died,  car- 
rying the  loftiest  traditions  of  missionary 
courage. 

Not  on  any  other  field  of  high  enterprise 
perhaps  has  the  Church  Missionary  Society 
realised  so  much  of  severe  conflict,  crucial 
struggle,  and  travail  in  pioncership  as  in  the 


2o8     Missions  on  the  Niger  River. 


scries  of  Niger  campaigns.  Upon  every  page 
cf  its  story  shadows  fall.  Significantly  has  it 
been  remarked  that  the  Niger  Riv^er  has  always 
been  a  source  of  material  or  spiritual  disaster 
to  the  Society's  directors.  What  savagery  and 
barbarism  h.avc  reigned  over  these  West  Afri- 
can lands  for  generations  !  There  the  most 
devilish  forms  of  cruelty  known  to  humanity 
flourish  to-day.  Fierce  tribal  warfare,  human 
butcheries,  the  endless  passage  of  canoe  loads 
of  slaves  on  tributary  waters  consigned  as  the 
food  of  cannibal  tribes,  revolting  sacrifices,  and 
rank  degradation,  have  appalled  the  most  in- 
trepid of  the  missionary  vanguard.  The  more 
welcome  are  the  signs  that  darkness  does  not 
entirely  prevail.  Groups  of  converts  and  cen- 
tres of  faith  have  existence  in  these  regions  of 
heathenism.  Report  tells  of  the  native  Chris- 
tians at  Bonny  on  the  coast  holding  forth  the 
word  of  life.  Where  in  past  years,  during  their 
trading  expeditions  for  palm  oil  and  palm  ker- 
nel, sixty  miles  distant,  at  the  Ura  Ya  markets, 
'  they  assembled  in  rough  praying  sheds  in  the 
heart  of  heathen  villages  the  same  fervid  light- 

t 


Missions  on  tJie  Niger  River.  2cg 


bearers  now  gather  on  the  identical  site  in  com- 
modious and  neatly-crcctcd  timber  chapels.  At 
the  village  of  Okrika,afewmi!es  from  Bonny,  the 
cause  of  evangelisation  was  making  way  when  in 
the  autumn  of  1 889  a  deplorable  outbreak  of  can- 
nibalism practically  ruined  the  hopeful  prospects. 
In  one  day,  the  heathen,  and  several  village 
Christians,  under  a  tribal  passion,  cooked  and  de- 
voured a  hundred  and  twenty  prisoners  of  war. 

Onitsha,  situated  in  a  pleasant  and  fertile  lo- 
cality on  the  Lower  Niger,  is  the  seat  of  vigor- 
ous missionary  aggression  whither  the  Haiisas, 
Nupes,  Igbirras,  and  Igarras,  bring  their  pro- 
duce. The  Igbirras  and  Basas  have  shown 
unfaltering  courage  in  defying  the  charges  of 
Moslem  invaders  through  long  decades.  Look- 
ing easterly  the  Fulanis  are  seen,  governed 
by  Ahmadu,  Sultan  of  Sequ  Sikoro,  of  in- 
ferior civilisation  to  the  Haiisas,  and  in  whom 
the  Gospel  will  have  a  strong  antagonist. 
Opposite  Onitsha  lies  Asaba,  the  headquarters 
of  the  Niger  territory,  and  many  miles  up 
the  river,  the  town  of  Ghebe,  below  the 
confluence  of   the  Binue   and  Niger,  which 


« 


2IO     Missions  on  the  Niger  River. 


constitutes  the  southernmost  branch  of  the 
Soudan  division  of  the  Niger  Mission,  Some 
miles  beyond  the  inflowing  mouth  of  the  Binue 
stands  the  notable  town  of  Lokoja  with  3,000 
inhabitants  at  the  foot  of  one  of  the  numerous 
table  mountains.  Lokoja,  the  base  of  the  So- 
ciety's interior  offshoots,  three  hundred  miles 
from  the  coast,  in  which  a  hospital  will  be 
opened,  has  a  future  of  promising  usefulness, 
in  advancing  the  spread  of  missions.  To  the 
north  of  it,  Egga,  a  town  of  larger  population, 
is  another  growing  station  where  the  "  mal- 
lams,"  or,  African  Mohammedan  scribes,  as- 
semble every  Friday,  to  preach  Islamite  doc- 
trines to  groups  of  semi-barbarian  listeners. 

Ere  the  traveller  touches  these  extreme  out- 
posts he  sees  the  relics  of  awful  tragedies  in 
the  intermediate  districts  from  which  the  cries 
of  the  victims  are  unheard  within  the  bounds 
of  civilisation.  At  Azumiri,  the  skulls  of  na- 
tives, killed  and  eaten  in  sacrifice  to  the  gods, 
are  strung  up  by  hundreds  in  the  open  streets, 
to  be  gazed  upon  and  worshipped  by  defence- 
less innocents  whose  fate  may  be  decreed  on 

r 


Missions  on  the  Niger  River. 


2  r  I 


the  following  day.  Of  dark  Ohambele  and  its 
slauglitcrs  at  burial  ceremonials  Bishop  Crow- 
ther  related  a  tragical  occurrence.  "  About 
four  days  before  our  arrival  at  Ohambele  an 
old  rich  woman  was  dead  and  buried.  When 
the  grave  was  dug,  two  female  slaves  were 
taken,  whose  limbs  were  smashed  with  clubs. 
Being  unable  to  stir,  they  were  let  down  into 
the  grave,  yet  alive,  on  mat  or  bed  on  which 
the  corpse  of  the  mistress  was  laid,  and  screened 
from  sight  for  a  time.  Two  other  female  slaves 
were  laid  hold  of  and  dressed  up  with  best 
clothes  and  coral  beads.  This  being  done, 
they  were  led  and  paraded  about  the  town  to 
show  the  public  the  servants  of  the  rich  dead 
mistress,  whom  they  would  attend  in  the  world 
of  spirits.  This  was  done  for  two  days,  when 
the  unfortunate  victims  were  taken  to  the  edge 
of  the  grave,  and  their  limbs  were  also  smashed 
with  clubs,  and  their  bodies  laid  on  the  corpse 
of  their  mistress  and  covered  up  with  earth 
while  yet  alive.  Som.e  of  the  Bonny  converts 
attempted  to  rescue  these  last  two  females  by 
a  large  offer  of  ransom  to  buy  bullocks  for  the 


2 1 2     Missions  on  tJie  Nidei'  River. 


occasion,  but  it  was  refused  them."  These 
dreadful  and  frequently  enacted  crimes  against 
humanity  must  evoke  the  supplication  from 
the  children  of  God,  "  How  long,  O  Lord,  how 
long?"  coupled  with  an  unshaken  resolve  that 
such  deeds  shall  be  effectually  blotted  out  from 
the  face  of  the  whole  earth. 

With  the  death  of  Bishop  Crowthcr,  the  last 
of  the  great  pioneers  of  Christianity  on  the 
Niger  watershed  and,  in  Western  Africa,  has 
been  gathered  home.  It  is  naturally  regretted 
that  the  declining  years  of  the  veteran  whose 
labours  had  been  exceedingly  fruitful,  should 
have  suffered  disappointment  from  the  alleged 
spiritual  weakness  of  some  of  the  converts  or, 
the  lack  of  qualification  on  the  part  of  native 
African  agents.  There  is  every  anticipation 
that  the  visit  of  a  deputation  consisting  of 
Archdeacon  Hamilton  and  the  Rev.  W.  Allan 
to  the  Niger  province  in  1891  will  heal  the  dis- 
putes and  misunderstandings.  The  obstacles 
•overcome  the  messengers  of  the  Cross  will 
again  speed  the  Word  : — 


Missions  on  the  Niger  River.     2 1 3 

"  Til]  the  sunrise  broad  of  the  day  of  God 
Shall  shine  on  the  victor's  glory, 
And  the  earth  at  rest,  in  her  Lord  confessed, 
Shall  rejoice  in  the  hnished  story." 

The  question  of  a  successor  to  Bishop  Crow- 
ther,  the  black  bishop  of  the  Niger,  is  of  mo- 
ment to  the  missionary  enterprise  in  that 
region.  In  a  growing  measure  the  view  pre- 
vails in  church  missionary  circles  that  a  native, 
on  account  of  the  likelihood  of  his  standing 
the  climate  better,  and,  even  for  weightier  rea- 
sons, should  have  the  appointment.  This  view 
being  adopted  the  claims  of  the  Rev.  Isaac 
Oluwole,  a  graduate  of  Durban  University,  and 
one  of  the  native  clergy  will  probably  receive 
recognition  for  recommendation  to  the  Arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury. 

Crowns  of  light  encircle  the  names  of  Ra- 
ban,  Haensel,  Schon,  Robinson,  Crowther,  and 
Brooke.  These  servants  of  God  scorned  to  lay 
sandy  foundations  which  would  not  endure  in 
the  day  when  every  man's  work  shall  be  tested 
and  its  reward  determined.  What  steadfast 
toilers  they  were  in  surveys  of  evangelisation, 
in  winning  native  confidence,  in  establishing 


2  14    Missions  on  (he  Niger  River. 


stations,  in  caring  for  the  young,  in  translating 
literature,  and,  in  shaping  a  line  of  civilisation 
by  means  of  which  later  generations  of  tribes 
may  be  redeemed  from  the  gloom  of  barbar- 
ism !  Nor  should  the  services  of  the  Royal 
Niger  Company,  previously  called  the  National 
African  Company,  and,  antecedently,  the  Uni- 
ted African  Company,  Lim.ited,  be  forgotten. 
Agreeable  to  the  Company's  charter  the  gin 
trade  is  rigorously  excluded  from  the  sphere 
of  its  jurisdiction.  Though  it  fulfils  a  role  on 
the  Niger  similar  to  the  old  East  India  Com- 
pany in  levying  duties,  keeping  soldiers,  build- 
ing forts,  and  exercising  administrative  func- 
tions, the  Company's  officers  have  aided  mis- 
sions, carried  the  missionaries  and  their  freight, 
guarded  their  settlements,  and,  in  unrecorded 
ways  removed  hindrances  from  the  pathway  of 
missionary  progress. 


ROMANCE  OF  THE  EQUATORIAL 
SOUDAN. 


(213) 


XII. 


A  ROMANCE  OF  THE  EQUATORIAL 
SOUDAN. 

By  the  arrival  of  three  missionary  fugitives, 
Father  Ohrwalder,  and  the  Sisters  Catherina 
Chincarini  and  Elizabetta  Venturini  at  Cairo, 
on  the  2 1st  of  December,  1891,  another  picture 
has  been  supplied  of  the  soul-thrilHng  events 
connected  with  the  Soudan.  These  long-suf- 
fering captives  overjoyed  at  their  escape  from 
the  grasp  of  a  savage  tyrant  could  scarcely 
realise  that  they  were  free  with  the  prospect 
of  seeing  once  more  their  native  land.  Their 
capture,  and  all  its  consequent  hardships,  tor- 
tures, and  embittered  imprisonment,  from  which 
release  by  death  must  often  have  seemed  pref- 
erable, furnishes  an  extraordinary  narrative. 

Under  the  auspices  of  the  Austrian  Roman 
Catholic  Mission  to  the  Soudan,  the  refugees 
left  Cairo  eleven  years  back.  As  early  as  18S2, 

(217) 


2 1 8     A  Romance  of  the  Soudan. 


the  two  mission  locations  at  El-Obeid  and,  at 
Jebcl-Gedir, — three  days'  journey  distant,  were 
doing  admirable  work  in  training  dusky  liber- 
ated slaves  in  various  trades  and  in  the  art  of 
agriculture.  That  year  the  revolt  of  the  Mahdi 
burst  forth  and,  following  the  "  holy  flag  "  Emir 
El  Nejumi,  a  remarkable  Soudanese  figure,  shat- 
tered Hicks  Pacha's  army  and  seized  Khar- 
toum. The  little  mission  stations,  quite  iso- 
lated, were  placed  on  the  defensive  and,  for 
months,  heroically  sustained  a  .siege,  and  only 
yielded  when  the  black  troops  betrayed  them 
and  their  own  staff  was  reduced  by  sickness, 
exposure,  and  death.  With  the  termination 
of  the  siege  at  El-Obeid  in  January,  1883,  the 
two  priests  terribly  exhausted  and  emaciated 
in  body,  made  a  profession  of  Islamism,  the 
nuns,  meanwhile  obstinately  refusing  every  en- 
treaty. During  the  ensuing  fifteen  months 
these  five  brave  women  were  locked  up,  in 
harsh  confinement,  in  a  house  at  El-Obeid, 
and  never  once  throughout  that  time  were 
they  allowed  to  cross  the  threshold.  Cut  off 
from  the  least  gleam  of  comfort  and  chance  of 


A  Romance  of  the  Soudan. 


219 


deliverance,  their  fate, — a  life  of  death,  was  of 
the  most  melancholy  character.  A  fresh  effort 
was  made  by  the  Khalifa  Abdullah  in  March, 
1884,  to  secure  the  conversion  to  Mohammed- 
anism, of  the  seven  priests  taken  from  Jebel- 
Gedir.  Tempting  inducements  and  fierce 
threats  were  vain,  and  upon  their  being  or- 
dered to  send  the  nuns,  they  chivalrously  an- 
swered that  the  Moslem  law  forbade  women 
to  stand  in  the  presence  of  strangers.  Thus 
foiled,  the  Khalifa  had  the  sisters  placed  be- 
fore himself  for  trial.  That  ordeal  each  of 
them  firmly  withstood,  whereupon  they  were 
banished  separately  as  domestic  slaves  of  the 
soldiers,  the  priests  filling  a  similar  office.  No 
chronicler  will  ever  narrate  the  sufferings  of 
the  nuns  at  this  period  or,  the  barbarities  to 
which  these  gentle  and  defenceless  women 
were  subjected.  The  inhuman  captors  slit  the 
nose  of  Teresa  Grigolini  and  flogged  Sister 
Venturini  tied,  standing  to  a  tree.  They  were 
afterwards  driven  on  foot  almost  naked  to 
Rabat,  to  face  the  Mahdi,  and,  in  despair,  they 
embraced  Mohammedanism  to  escape  worse 


2  20      A  Romance  of  the  Sotidan. 


tortures.  The  departure,  subsequently,  of  Sis- 
ters Chincarini  and  Venturini,  from  Omdurman, 
situate  in  : — 

"the  long  desert  in  the  south," 

left  Sister  Teresa  Grigolini,  the  last  of  the 
nuns,  lingering  there  alone  in  captivity. 

Throughout  the  eight  years  of  bondage  Fa- 
ther Ohrwalder  speaks  of  their  agonies  being 
at  times  unbearable.  Even  in  sickness  and  lying 
for  days  entirely  prostrate,  they  were  denied  the 
necessaries  of  life.  Upon  the  Sisters  the  Mahdi 
especially  inflicted  shameful  cruelties,  and,  un- 
aware of  the  destruction  of  Khartoum,  the 
captives,  for  a  while,  had  hopes  of  relief  from 
that  quarter.  In  1882  they  received  the  latest 
news  concerning  the  outside  world  from  an 
Arabic  newspaper,  which  announced  the  bom- 
bardment of  Alexandria.  After  that  they  saw 
neither  book  nor  paper  of  any  description  and, 
gradually,  their  expectation  of  again  enjoying 
liberty  vanished.  For  their  subsistence  the 
Mahdi  made  no  provision.  His  rule  was  to 
allow  them  a  few  hours  of  release  each  day  in 


A  Romaticc  of  iJic  Soudan.  221 


order  to  earn  a  living,  in  the  best  way  possible 
and,  latterly,  Father  Ohrwalder  eked  out  a 
trifle  of  piastres  daily,  by  tailoring  and  cloth- 
weaving,  the  Sisters  occupying  themselves  with 
baking  and  selling  bread,  in  and  around  Om- 
durman,  for  an  existence.  The  sovereignty  of 
the  Mahdi,  and  that  of  his  successor,  the  Kha- 
lifa, frequently  presented  scenes  of  unexampled 
savagery.  Through  two  dark  and  weary  years 
something  too  was  seen  of  the  horrors  of  fam- 
ine, the  ravages  of  small-pox  and  typhus  fever, 
which  desolated  a  wide  area  of  the  inner  Sou- 
dan. The  privileges  of  the  prisoners  were  of 
a  meagre  order,  in  illustration  of  which  it  is 
noted  that  eighteen  months  before  quitting 
their  land  of  confinement,  they  were  granted 
the  luxury  of  dwelling  in  mud  huts,  in  exchange 
for  shelters  made  of  cane  and  maize  stalks, 
reared  by  their  own  hands. 

In  a  hazardously  and  romantic  fashion  Fa- 
ther Ohrwalder  and  the  Sisters  Chincarini  and 
Venturini,  m.anaged  to  gain  their  freedom. 
This  daring  step  was  attempted  on  November 
29,  1 89 1,  at  the  height  of  a  struggle  between 


222      A  Romance  of  the  Soudan. 


some  Danagla  Khalifas  and,  the  KhaHfa,  Ab- 
dullah Baggara,  semi-savage  tribesmen,  in  which 
17  of  the  latter  and  7  of  the  former,  perished. 
A  black  female  slave  who  waited  upon  them 
ingeniously  planned  the  line  of  flight.  This 
tender-hearted  and  compassionate  native,  ob- 
tained the  camels,  fixed  the  hour,  and  chose 
the  route  of  their  exodus.  Lest  the  slave 
might  be  forced  to  give  information  of  the 
departure,  if  left  behind,  the  travellers  pre- 
vailed upon  her  to  accompany  them.  At  the 
outset  of  this  perilous  race  for  life  the  Sisters 
wore  Arab  female  costumes  while  the  Father 
dressed  himself  as  a  trader.  Early  joined  by 
three  friendly  Arab  camel-drivers,  they  all  pur- 
sued their  way  day  and  night,  without  any 
stoppage,  except  for  a  couple  of  days,  at  the 
Murad  Wells.  For  three  days  they  had  no 
food.  So  great  was  their  dread  of  recapture, 
that  sleep  on  the  road  was  impossible  and,  on 
one  occasion.  Sister  Venturini,  overcome  by 
exhaustion,  fell  from  her  camel.  At  the  ex- 
piration of  nine  days,  having  travelled  550 
miles  from  Omdurman,  they  safely  arrived  at 


A  Romance  of  the  SojidiDi.  223 

Korosko,  on  the  Nile,  to  the  north  of  Wady 
Haifa.  They  were  much  impressed  with  the 
hearty  reception  accorded  them  at  Korosko, 
and,  after  a  brief  halt,  the  refugees,  at  the  invi- 
tation of  the  Government  of  the  late  Khedive, 
went  northward,  by  Assouan,  to  Cairo.  In  phy- 
sique. Father  Ohrwalder  was  tall  and  thin,  and 
apparently  about  40  years  of  age.  The  Sisters, 
bearing  traces  of  painful  suffering,  were  vigor- 
ous, in  spite  of  what  they  had  endured  in  the 
length  of  a  nine  years'  captivity.  A  priest,  a 
lay  brother,  and  Sister  Teresa  Grigolini,  at  Om- 
durman,  are  the  surviving  members  of  the  ill- 
fated  mission. 

An  interesting  coincidence  touching  the  re- 
leased lady  prisoners  is  found  in  a  recent  pub- 
lication descriptive  of  Gessi  Pacha's  "  Seven 
Years  in  the  Soudan."  In  an  appendix  refer- 
ence is  made  to  the  Italian  Mission,  in  1881, 
some  of  whose  members  tended  Gessi  in  his 
illness  at  Khartoum.^  The  passage  reads  : — 
"  The  Sisters  of  the  Italian  Mission,  whose 
names  we  will  record  because  they  afterwards 
fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Mahdi,  nursed  Gessi 


2  24      A  Romance  of  the  Soudan. 


by  turns,  giving  a  good  example  of  the  highest 
Christian  virtue."  Last  in  this  roll  of  eleven 
heroic  women  stand  the  names  of  "  Catcrina 
Chincarini  and  Elisa  Venturini."  A  later  vol- 
ume entitled,  "  Malidiisui  and  ihe  Egyptian 
Soudan,"  reviewing  the  changes  in  the  far  Sou- 
dan, thus  introduces  a  list  of  the  captives  : — 
"  Of  the  Austrian  Mission  (most  of  whom  are 
Italians),  there  are  now,  it  is  said,  at  Omdur- 
man,"  (which  is  reached  by  a  ferry  across  the 
White  Nile  from  Khartoum),  "  Father  Don 
Guiseppe  Ohrwalder,  whose  Arabic  name  is 
Yusef."  In  the  same  group  the  two  Sisters 
cited  above  are  mentioned,  and  also,  "  Sisters 
Teresa  Grigolini  and  Concetto  Corsi."  Of  the 
remaining  captives  detained  in  i89i,at  Omdur- 
man,  whose  names  recall  the  painful  events  of 
1883,  there  were  19  Greeks,  8  Syrians,  8  Jews, 
the  German  merchant  Neufeldt,  heavily  chained, 
who  was  captured  in  1884,  while  acting  as  in- 
terpreter to  the  British  forces,  and,  Slatin  Bey, 
all  of  them  leading  an  existence  of  misery, 
though  in  tolerable  health.  Perhaps  some- 
thing may  yet  be  gleaned  of  the  fate  of  Lup- 


A  Romance  of  the  Soudan. 


225 


ton,  who  had  never  left  the  Soudan  since  Gor- 
don's first  expedition.  Neufcldt  was  popular  in 
Cairo, — a  good  colloquial  Arabic  scholar,  with 
previous  experiences  of  the  Soudan.  The  lot 
of  Slatin  Bey  opens  again  the  story  of  a  ro- 
mantic career.  Formerly  Governor-General  of 
Darfur,  and  a  man  of  intrepid  heart,  he  fought 
27  battles  in  defence  of  his  province  before 
surrendering  to  the  Mahdi's  nominee, — follow- 
ing the  defeat  of  Hicks  Pacha's  column.  He 
accompanied  Mohammed  Ahmed  to  Khartoum, 
saw  with  his  own  eyes,  its  downfall,  and,  on  the 
Mahdi's  death,  was  made  one  of  the  Khalifa's 
Mulazimin,  or,  body-guard.  Invariably  in  at- 
tendance on  the  Khalifa,  the  movements  of 
Slatin,  who  was  accustomed  to  stand  in  the 
outer  courtyard,  were  quickly  and  closely 
noticed  by  his  master  from  within  the  halls 
of  the  palace. 

Of  the  great  Soudan,  which  Sir  Samuel 
Baker  still  holds,  may,  under  a  just  rule,  be- 
come one  of  the  most  fruitful  countries  in  the 
world,  notably,  as  a  source  of  cotton  supply, 
the  refugees  brought  the  latest  reliable  tidings. 


2  26      A  Romance  of  the  Soudan. 


Omdurman  was  a  strong  city,  of  no  mean 
celebrity  with  many  stone  houses  and  a  popu- 
lation of  about  1 50,000  inhabitants,  consisting 
of  a  mixture  of  all  the  tribes  in  the  Soudan. 
With  the  Khalifa  Abdullah,  arc  the  Khalifs, 
Ali  El-Faruch  and  Ali  El-Karcr  or  El-Shcrif. 
Other  personages  of  importance  there  include 
Jakub,  the  brother  and  factotum  of  Abdullah, 
and  Jadi  Ahmed  and  Nur-el-Gerefani,  and  the 
treasurer,  Bet-el-mal.  Upwards  of  two  thou- 
sand slaves  represent  the  Abdullah's  troops. 
When  the  three  missionary  captives  were  flee- 
ing they  espied  at  a  lonely  spot,  called  Esaa, 
two  days'  journey  south  of  Khartoum,  the 
burial-place  of  Olivier  Pain,  who,  it  seems,  fall- 
ing from  his  camel,  through  sickness,  was  cap- 
tured. His  body  lies  below  a  few  inches  of 
sand.  Except  in  Kordofan  food  was  cheap  and 
usually  plentiful  over  the  Soudan,  where  most 
of  the  well-meaning  tribes  would  welcome  the 
return  of  a  stable,  Egyptian  sway.  Despite 
the  Khalifa's  numerous  following  the  majority 
of  these  were  only  slightly  attached  to  him 
personally  which  gave  Vv'eight  to  Father  Ohr- 


A  Romance  of  I  he  Soudan.  227 


waldcr's  opinion  that,  in  the  endlessly,  dis- 
turbed state  of  affairs,  a  small  force  nriight 
easily  re-conquer  much  of  the  Soudan,  save  it 
from  ruin,  and  the  waste  of  years  of  patriotic 
labours  which  a  succession  of  distinguished 
men  have  given  for  its  reclamation.  Darfur 
is  deserted.  Kordofan  is  occupied  by  Emir 
Mahmud  Ahmed  and  Emir  Abd-cl-Bogi, —  rela- 
tions of  Abdullah  ;  who,  at  El-Obeid,  have  fif- 
teen hundred  soldiers.  On  the  White  Nile,  the 
posts  are  Djebel-Red-giaf,  Lado,  and  Fashoda ; 
Emir  Zeki  Tamal,  ruling  at  the  latter  place, 
with  nearly  six  thousand  men.  In  Sennaar, 
the  most  advanced  post  is  Karkoe,  and  at  Gala- 
bet,  Emir  Mohammed  Ali,  has  a  fortified  one. 
At  Kassala,  some  five  hundred  men  are  armed 
v;ith  guns,  and,  at  Berber,  Emir  Zeki  rules, 
and  Yunez,  at  Dongola.  The  two  last  named 
positions  abandoned  a  few  years  ago  by  the 
British,  arc  regarded  as  the  keys  of  that  portion 
of  the  Soudan  which  commands  the  Nile  be- 
tween Khartoum  and  Assouan.  As  the  great 
centres  of  the  Soudan  trade  and  the  granaries 
of  the  country  they  are  of  prime  concern  to 


228     A  Roma?ice  of  the  Soudan. 


merchants  and  the  commercial  world.  Khar- 
toum,— the  city  of  the  heroic  General  Gordon, 
that  "  soldier-priest,"  of  whom  the  nations  have 
said  with  one  acclaim  : — 

"A  man  more  pure  and  bold  and  just 
Was  never  born  into  the  earth  ;  " — 

is  forsaken.  Weeds  grow  over  its  ruins.  The 
sites  of  the  houses  are  covered  with  vegetation. 
Only  the  gardens,  the  Austrian  Church,  and 
Gordon's  palace,  all  in  decay,  are  seen  in  deso- 
late Khartoum. 

Faint  hopes  remain  of  freeing  the  40,  or  more 
Europeans,  in  the  clutch  of  the  Khalifa  Abdul- 
lah, at  Omdurman,  save  through  the  success  of 
the  rescue  expedition  to  be  headed  by  three 
European  officers  in  the  autumn  of  1892. 
Beneath  the  shadow  of  the  unscrupulous,  igno- 
rant, oppressing,  and  cruel  Abdullah,  whose 
professed  subjects  would  gladly  hail  relief  from 
his  tyranny,  the  lives  of  the  captives  are  drea- 
rily wasting  away.  The  territory  vaguely  de- 
fined by  the  term,  "Soudan,"  is  of  immense 
extent,  with  an  area  nearly  equal  to  that  of 
India,  embracing  a  million  and  a  half  square 


A  Romance  of  Ihe  Soudan.  229 


miles,  peopled  by  races,  eleven  millions  in  num- 
ber, and,  of  wide  diversities  in  speech,  charac- 
teristics, physiognomy,  and  tribal  antagonisms. 
The  Soudanese  native  population  which  thirty 
years  ago  was  constantly  diminishing  by  in- 
ternal and  desperate  feuds,  and  exportations  to 
the  slave  markets  at  Cairo  and  Mecca,  has 
latterly  been  steadily  increasing.  By  the  gar- 
risons of  the  Egyptian  Government,  weak  and 
corrupt  in  many  respects,  a  reign  of  order  was 
partially  established  and,  a  decisive  check  given 
to  slave-bartering,  the  beneficial  effects  of  which 
are  felt  at  the  present  hour  on  the  population. 
For  these  multiplying  hordes  the  produce  of 
the  soil  is  becoming  insufficient  and,  conse- 
quently, the  hardier  and  more  adventurous 
tribes  are  migrating  in  search  of  fresh  terri- 
tories and  empire  beyond.  This  so-called 
"flood  of  barbarism"  trending  on  the  confines 
of  Upper  Egypt  cannot  be  unaffected  by  the 
enlightening  rule  which  is  transfiguring  the 
civil  life  of  Egyi^t  and  ushering  in  an  epoch  of 
national  prosperity. 

Over  Egypt,  the  "gift  of  the  Nile,"  the 


230     A  Romance  of  tJie  Soudan. 


gateway  to  the  burning  Soudan,  the  sky  is 
brightening.  Egypt's  finances,  legislation,  and 
material  status,  indicate  that  she  is  beginning 
to  march  with  the  nations.  A  modified  taxa- 
tion, a  rise  in  land  values,  an  expanding  export 
trade,  and,  a  growing  revenue,  are  some  of  the 
first-fruits  of  a  humane  and  masterly  adminis- 
tration. The  old  native  executive  wherein  a 
certain  type  of  provincial  governor  had  un- 
questioned license  was  wrong  in  principle,  pro- 
lific in  abominations,  and  utterly  demoralising. 
This  system  based  on  extortion  and  the  lash 
has  disappeared.  A  new  era  has  dawned.  Sir 
Evelyn  Baring  and  his  brilliant  staff  have  in- 
augurated the  initial  stages  of  a  healthy  civili- 
sation. They  have  swept  abuses  aside  and 
energetically  laboured  for  future  reforms.  The 
training  of  superior  natives  for  official  posts 
has  been  kept  to  the  forefront  and  thus  in  a 
short  time  the  dearth  of  capable  young  Egyp- 
tians will  be  met  by  the  spread  of  educational 
advantages  and,  familiarity  with  European 
ideas  and  forms  of  government.  For  triumphs 
in  extensive  drainage  and  irrigation  the  year 


A  Romance  of  the  Soudan.  231 

1 891  in  the  annals  of  Rgypt,  under  the  British 
regime,  will  have  historic  mark.  The  most 
sanguine  predictions  respecting  the  barrage 
works  were  surpassed,  the  cotton  crop  being 
larger  than  any  of  previous  years.  In  accom- 
plishing this  scheme  three  steps  were  adopted  ; 
the  waters  of  the  Nile  were  gathered,  thence 
distributed  into  capacious  channels,  and,  lastly, 
sound  precautions  taken  that  the  poorer  na- 
tives should  not  be  exploited  by  their  richer 
neighbours.  It  is  not  improbable  that  in  a  few 
years  the  flood-waters  of  the  ancient  Nile  may 
be  caught  in  gigantic  reservoirs  in  Upper 
Egypt,  and,  by  this  means,  areas  of  land  in  the 
lower  districts  receive  supplies  of  the  precious 
liquid  during  the  hot  season.  For  these  en- 
gineering achievements  in  operation  and  in 
prospect,  the  Egyptian  peasant  is  as  much  a 
debtor  to  the  genius  of  Sir  Colin  Moncrieff,  as 
he  is  in  civil  and  militarj^  affairs,  to  Colonel 
Kitchener's  zeal,  ability,  and  jurisdiction. 

With  the  sway  of  a  progressive  Government 
in  Egypt  Proper  whether  directed  by  European 
Powers  or  subject  to  the  independent  rule  of 


232      A  Romance  of  the  Soudan. 


His  Highness,  the  young  Khedive,  Abbas  Pasha 
Hehiiy,  the  stream  of  hfe  and  of  modern  civili- 
sation must  flow  southwards  to  the  desert  tribes 
who  have  their  home  in  the  Eastern  Soudan. 
In  that  sphere  of  the  Dark  Continent  weird 
and  fascinating  historical  dramas  have  figured, 
where  Ethiopian,  Egyptian,  Persian,  Roman, 
Grecian,  Saracen,  and  Turkish  waves  of  con- 
quest have  successively  rolled  and  vanished, 
leaving  faint  traces  of  their  sovereign  dynasties. 
Gazing  east  and  west  from  the  foliaged  and 
castle-studded  banks  of  the  Upper  Nile  over 
hundreds  of  miles  of  arable  tracts  and  Saharan 
wastes  of  yellow  sand  a  mass  of  heathenism — 
deep,  awful,  and  profound — has  its  habitation, 
unbroken  by  a  single  beam  of  divine  light. 
Afar  off  on  the  horizon  northward,  the  dawn  of 
an  early  morning  sunlight  glimmers.  To  the 
natives  of  the  wide-spreading  Soudan,  the 
North  Africa  Mission,  the  Church  Missionary 
Society,  and  the  Central  Soudan  Mission  in 
Tripoli,  are  turning  their  thoughts  and  ener- 
gies. "  Truth  shall  spring  out  of  the  earth  "; 
and,  in  ransoming  Soudanese  Ethiopians,  Be- 


A  Romance  of  the  Soudan.  233 


douins,  Nubse,  and  Berberines,  the  American 
missionaries  on  the  Nile  and  their  British  col- 
leagues in  the  Dependency  of  Tripoli  promise 
to  become  the  heralds  of  Christ  in  evangelising 
races  lying  in  the  region  of  the  shadow  of 
death  for  whose  resurrection  these  ensigns  not 
unhopefully  sing: — 

"  O'er  the  realms  of  night,  shall  our  standard  bright 
Arise,  their  darkness  clearing; 
And  the  souls  that  were  dead  to  the  Lord  who  bled. 
Shall  revive  at  His  glad  appearing." 


ON  THE   BANKS  OF  LAKE 
TANGANYIKA. 


(235) 


XIII. 


ON   THE   BANKS  OF  LAKE 
TANGANYIKA. 

In  that  wonderful  lake  system  which  formed 
a  chain  of  communication,  north  and  south, 
througn  the  intci  ior  of  Africa,  Lake  Tanganyika 
occupied  a  central  place.  The  most  westerly 
of  the  great  inland  waters,  it  has  Victoria 
Nyanza  to  the  north-east  and,  Lake  Nyasa,  for 
its  south-eastern  neighbour.  These  immense 
lakes,  the  reservoirs  of  thousands  of  rivers, 
were  destined  as  soon  as  navigation  by  steamer 
was  possible  to  exercise  a  civilising  influence  on 
the  savage  tribes  which  frequented  their  shores. 
With  a  magnificent  shore  line  of  363  miles, 
Tanganyika  is  now  recognised  as  the  western 
boundary  of  the  German  sphere  of  territory  in 
East  Central  Africa,  adjoining  which  was  the 
fertile  and  picturesque  State  of   Usibi  and 

(237) 


238  Lake  Tangajiyika. 


Wanga  described  by  Stanley  as  certainly  "  to 
turn  out  one  of  the  most  unique  regions  in 
Africa."  The  discovery  of  Lake  Tanganyika 
was  made  before  the  real  sources  of  the  Nile 
had  been  determined  and  at  a  period  less  than 
forty  years  ago  when  a  pall  of  darkness  lay 
over  most  of  the  countries  of  Central  Africa. 
Never  perhaps  in  the  records  of  exploration 
have  two  travellers  returned  to  the  haunts  of 
civilisation  each  of  whom  could  claim  such 
marvellous  "finds"  as  had  fallen  to  the  lot  of 
Burton  and  Speke  on  emerging  in  1859  from 
the  African  wilds.  Captain  Richard  Burton 
held  in  liis  possession  the  discovery  of  Tanga- 
nyika and,  his  comrade  Speke, — Lake  Ukere- 
wc.  which  he  named  Victoria  Nyanza,  and 
rightly  concluded  to  be  the  origin  and  head  of 
Father  Nile.  The  geographical  areas  of  Tanga- 
nyika show  that  it  stands  2,756  feet  above 
the  sea  level  with  a  superficial  area  of  9,240 
square  miles  and  encircling  this  grand  stretch 
of  water  rise  a  series  of  noble,  forest-crowned 
heights  which  afford  views  of  enchanting 
beauty : — 


Lake  Ta7iganyika. 


233 


"  fair 

As  ever  painter  painted,  poet  sang, 
Or  Heav'n  in  lavish  bounty  moulded." 

The  usual  route  to  Lake  Tanganyika  has  been 
overland,  a  distance  of  830  miles  from  Zanzi- 
bar, via  Mpwapwa,  Unyanyembe,  Urambo, 
to  Ujiji,  the  chief  mart  of  the  Lake,  situated 
on  the  north-easterly  shore.  To  make  the 
journey  along  the  rough,  zig-zag  foot  and 
wagon  track  required  about  100  days,  a  tedious 
line  of  march,  which  was  practically  abandoned 
in  1891  by  the  Directors  of  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society,  for  the  safer,  easier,  and  more 
direct  approach  which  is  afforded  by  sailing  up 
the  Zambesi,  Shir^,  across  Lake  Nyasa,  and 
over  the  valued  missionary  highway, — the 
Stevenson  Road,  uniting  the  north-end  of 
Nyasa  and  the  southern  point  of  Tanganyika. 
Around  the  Lake  swarm  some  dozen  independ- 
ent tribal  races  whose  villages,  market  places, 
and  trading  depots  present  animated  native- 
life  pictures.  Every  part  of  the  Lake  shores  is 
visited  by  merchants  and  representatives  of 
motley  races  and  people, —  Portuguese  from  the 


240  Lake  Tanganyika. 


west  coast,  Arabs  from  Zanzibar,  Swahili, 
Wasagara,  Wakaguru,  the  half-naked,  repulsive 
Wagogo,  the  Wahumba  and  Wakimbu,  and  the 
all-pervading  Wanyamwezi.  On  the  sunny  sur- 
face of  Tanganyika  craft  of  every  pattern  glide 
to  and  fro.  The  ordinary  canoe  has  the  shape  of 
that  ungainly  animal  — one  of  Africa's  well  known 
denizens — the  hippopotamus,  and  hewn  out  of 
the  massive  trunk  of  a  forest  king.  Roughly 
finished  it  is  launched  on  the  Lake,  the  native 
piloting  it,  indifferent  to  the  possibility  of 
danger,  with  surprising  dexterity.  Scores  of 
these  canoes  may  be  seen  in  a  starry  night  on 
the  bosom  of  the  Lake,  their  occupants  en- 
gaged in  whitebait  fishing.  By  placing  a  bun- 
dle of  blazing  dried  reeds  at  the  bow  of  the 
vessel  thousands  of  these  fish  are  attracted  and 
easily  caught  in  the  large  hand-net  which  the 
native  holds.  After  drying  the  "  catches  "  on 
shore  in  a  tropic  sun  they  are  packed  in  leaves 
and  sent  to  far  away  tribes.  Natives  visiting 
the  shore-markets  introduce  the  utmost  variety 
of  manufacture  and  produce:  skins,  woven  cot- 
ton cloth,  mats,  baskets,  pottery,  wire,  iron 


Lake  Tanganyika.  241 


hoes  and  axes,  weapons,  copper  in  the  rough 
and  artistically  designed  in  the  form  of  brace- 
lets and  ingeniously  made  ornaments;  supple- 
mented with  ground  nuts,  sugar  cane,  honey, 
butter,  salt,  palm  oil,  fish,  goats,  fowls,  and 
vegetables.  The  myriads  of  native  people 
are  hard-working  and  full  of  clever  resource. 
Larger  canoes,  40  or  more  feet  long,  are  used 
for  trafific  on  an  extensive  scale,  notoriously  in 
the  shipment  of  slaves,  between  the  races  in- 
habiting different  points  on  the  shore.  Prac- 
tised universally  this  hideous  scourge  has  re- 
tarded for  generations  the  progress  of  the 
numerous  tribes.  Physically,  the  natives  are 
strong,  handsomely-built,  and  capable  of  great 
endurance.  At  the  extreme  north  end — a 
densely  populated  region — the  people  are  fine 
in  appearance,  manly,  intelligent,  and  well- 
disposed  save  for  an  irrepressible  tendency  to 
treachery.  In  i8go  they  were  visited  by  Mr. 
Swann  and  previous  to  his  landing  in  their 
midst,  they  had  not  hitherto  had  any  com- 
munication whatever  with  white  faces.  Were 
the  London  Missionary  Society  in  possession 


242 


Lake  Tanganyika. 


of  larger  reinforcements  the  district  offers  a 
broad  field  for  pioneering  labours.  Native 
character  on  Tanganyika,  typical  of  the  whole 
of  the  Central  African  tribes,  was  negative. 
They  were  destitute  of  the  spirit  of  true  self- 
reliance  and  the  higher  virtues,  the  maxim  of 
traders  and  travellers  in  dealing  with  them  was, 
if  the  natives  do  not  fear  the  white  man,  the 
white  man  feared  them,  followed  by  incessant 
troubles  and  disaster. 

Missionary  work  by  the  London  Society  on 
the  banks  of  Lake  Tanganyika  actually  dates 
from  the  spring  of  1874,  when  the  London 
papers  printed  that  mournful  telegram  :  "  Liv- 
ingstone is  really  dead,  and  his  body  is  coming 
home  in  one  of  the  Queen's  ships."  English 
Christians  were  intensely  stirred  and,  in  three 
years'  time  the  London  Missionary  Society  at 
Tanganyika,  the  Church  Missionary  Society  in 
Uganda,  and  the  Livingstonia  Mission  in 
Nyasa-land,  were  devotedly  bending  their  ener- 
gies for  the  redemption  of  Africa's  children 
from  the  woes  of  slavery  and  heathenism.  Liv- 
ingstone's words:  "Go  forward,  and  with  the 


Lake  Tanganyika. 


243 


Divine  blessing  you  will  surely  succeed.  Do 
you  carry  on  the  work  which  I  have  begun.  I 
leave  it  with  you  ";  were  trumpet  calls  to  which 
volunteers,  men  of  resolution, — an  advanced 
guard,  made  answer.  Heroes  indeed,  believing 
that  the  Africans  were  : — 

"  Not  past  the  living  fount  of  pity  in  Heaven." 

That  high  level  of  ardour  which  the  leaders 
of  the  Central  African  Mission  exhibited  has 
been  emulated  by  their  train  of  successors. 
The  "coinage  true"  of  these  pioneers  was  in- 
trepidity, valour,  fortitude,  and  inextinguish- 
able enthusiasm,  and,  alas,  upon  their  thin 
ranks  the  fatal  enemy  fell  with  terrible  might. 
First  of  the  martyr-band  was  the  Rev.  J.  B. 
Thomson,  fellow-traveller  of  Captain  Hore  and 
Mr.  Hutley,  the  earliest  missionary  arrivals 
at  Tanganyika.  Standing  on  the  immediate 
threshold  of  his  task  Mr.  Thomson's  death 
is  a  pathetic  story.  After  the  exhausting 
march  of  more  than  800  miles  to  Ujiji  he 
had  visited  with  the  others  the  site  for  a  pro- 
posed temporary  station  on  a  hill  ovei  looking 


244 


Lake  Tanganyika. 


the  lovely  Kigoma  Bay,  and,  a  month  later, 
on  Sunday  afternoon,  September  22,  1878,  he 
died,  and  soon  afterwards  was  laid  to  rest  on 
the  spot  by  his  sorrowing  companions — his  own 
dust  consecrating  the  place  and  enterprise. 
Year  by  year  deaths  were  of  constant  occur- 
rence including  that  great-hearted  man  Dr. 
Mullens,  who  was  cut  down  in  the  early  days 
of  the  mission  and  buried  at  Mpwapwa,  and 
the  beloved  Dr.  Southon  (U.  S.  A.),  the  tragic 
close  of  whose  career  in  1882,  sent  a  thrill  of 
regret  far  over  the  Christian  world.  During 
the  ensuing  ten  years,  one  relay  after  another 
was  decimated  until  it  was  doubted  by  the 
supporters  whether  God  had  not  raised  a  bar- 
rier against  white  men  inhabiting  these  fever- 
haunted  lands.  So  fearful  was  the  harvest  of 
fatality  that  not  one  of  the  names  found  on 
the  Central  African  Mission  staff  in  188 1  ap- 
pears on  that  of  189T.  The  conjecture  might 
be  made  that  "  God  saw  fit  to  take  them  into 
life,  and,  may  be,  their  vision  of  events  on 
earth  to-day  is  clearer,  and  so  more  hopeful," 
These  nights  of  sorrow  and  blighted  prospects 


Lake  Tanganyika. 


245 


have  been  succeeded  by  the  dawn  of  brighter 
days  and,  in  the  years  from  1888  to  1 89 1  no 
death  was  reported  due  to  the  unhealthiness 
of  the  cHmate. 

Than  the  history  of  the  Central  African  Mis- 
sion few  chapters  in  the  annals  of  the  infancy 
of  missions  have  been  as  chequered  or  furnish- 
ed such  vivid  illustrations  of  repeated  and  vain 
endeavours  to  establish  a  foothold.  From  the 
month  of  August,  1878,  when  Captain  Hore 
and  his  cavalcade  of  225  men  in  single  file, 
each  with  his  load  on  head  or  shoulder,  led  by 
Songoro,  bearing  the  Union  Jack  with  snowy 
border  and,  in  the  centre  of  this  strange  pro- 
cession Juma  Mackay,  displaying  on  a  long 
bamboo,  the  dove  of  peace  with  olive  branch, 
wound  through  the  Ujiji  plantation  gardens  of 
plantains,  palms,  beans,  maize,  and  potatoes 
and  after  a  long  ascent  to  the  heights  above 
Ujiji  which  allowed  a  view  of  the  glorious 
Tanganyika  beyond,  the  missionaries  have 
strenuously  and  heroically  battled  in  the  face 
of  adverse  circumstances.  In  its  operations 
Captain  Hore's  career  has  been  one  of  distin- 


2|6 


Lake  Tanganyika. 


guishcd  service.  At  the  outset  he  took  up  his 
residence  near  Ujiji  and  subsequently  made, 
first  in  a  native  canoe,  thousands  of  trips  into 
various  parts  of  the  Lake  bays  and  gulfs,  to 
prepare  the  way  for  enabling  the  messengers 
of  the  Gospel  to  reach  the  remotest  homes  of 
heathen  communities  and  there  proclaim  a 
knowledge  of  the  "  White  Man's  God."  Mak- 
ing the  acquaintance  of  the  principal  chiefs 
and  their  subjects  and  carefully  surveying  and 
mapping  out  portions  of  the  boundaries  of 
Lake  Tanganyika  which  had  not  been  investi- 
gated previously  by  Livingstone,  Cameron,  or 
Stanley,  he  then  returned  to  England  with  a 
design  for  the  steel  life-boat,  to  be  known  as 
Nyota  ya  Ass^ihii — The  Morning  Star.  This 
craft  32  feet  long  and  8  feet  beam  was  shipped 
from  London  to  Zanzibar,  conveyed  in  sections 
by  native  carriers  to  Ujiji,  built  by  Captain 
More,  with  the  aid  of  the  natives,  and  launched 
amid  wild  rejoicings  in  May,  1883.  At  an 
earlier  period  the  mission  sustained  a  severe 
blow  by  the  death  of  Mr.  A.  W.  Dodgshun, — 
a  faithful  standard-bearer  ;  and,  meanwhile  set- 


Lake  Tanganyika. 


247 


tlemcnts  were  effected  at  Unyamwezi,  Uguha, 
and  Ujiji.  A  cheering  outlook  was  presented 
in  1880  which  unfortunately  was  doomed  to  a 
second  series  of  disappointments.  In  1881-2 
a  complete  dispersion  occurred.  Mr.  Wookcy 
and  Ur.  Palmer  went  home  invalided,  Mr.  Will- 
iams was  carried  off  by  sunstroke,  and  Mr. 
Hutley  left,  shattered  in  health.  Two  stations, 
300  miles  apart,  were  then  held  respectively 
by  Mr.  Griffiths  and  Dr.  Southon.  A  large 
party  of  missionaries  arrived  at  Zanzibar  in 
June,  1882,  whose  plans  were  altered  consid- 
erably by  the  painful  news  of  Dr.  Southon's 
decease.  In  the  course  of  its  advance  inland, 
Mr.  Dinecn  died  at  the  new  station  of  Uguha, 
and  Mr.  Penry  suffering  from  the  long  marches 
was  seized  with  dysentery  at  Urambo,  where 
he  was  unwillingly  obliged  to  turn  homewards. 
Death  overtook  him  near  Mpwapv/a,  his  re- 
mains being  there  interred  by  the  side  of  the 
late  Dr.  Mullens.  The  health  of  Mr.  Wil- 
loughby  giving  way  he  returned  immediately 
to  England  and  the  band,  sadly  weakened, 
reached  Ujiji  ten  months  from  the  date  of 


248 


Lake  Taitgavyi'ka. 


leaving  London.  Another  loss  came  in  1884, 
Mr.  Dunn  dying  from  fever,  after  a  few  days' 
illness.  The  same  year  Captain  Hore  made 
an  adventurous  journey  through  Nyasa-land  to 
Quillimane  and,  in  January,  1885,  brought  a 
fresh  company  of  missionaries  via  Zanzibar. 

It  was  now  decided  to  remove  the  head- 
quarters of  the  marine  department  from  Ujiji 
to  Kavala,  an  island  opposite  to  Uguha,  ruled 
over  by  Kassanga.  The  new  steamer,  the  Good 
News  (although  not  finished)  was  floated  on 
Tanganyika,  in  1885  by  Mr.  Roxburgh,  a  prac- 
tical engineer.  After  bringing  her  safely  to 
Kavala,  this  ardent  worker,  to  the  sorrow  of 
all,  died  of  fever  and  dysentery.  A  little  later 
Mr.  Harris  was  fatally  stricken,  and  the  build- 
ing at  the  south  end  consequently  abandoned. 
That  same  year  Messrs.  Jones  and  Rees  worn 
out  with  fatigue  and  recurring  fever  attacks 
relinquished  their  posts  and,  inevitably,  Uguha 
was  vacated.  The  year  1886  opened  by  the 
arrival  at  Kavala  of  Mr.  Carson,  an  engineer, 
who  completed  the  fitting  up  of  the  steamer. 
So  slowly  had  the  fittings  come  to  hand  that 


Lake  Tanganyika. 


249 


three  years  elapsed — a  time  of  no  small  strain 
to  those  concerned — ere  the  Good  News  had 
her  finishing  touches.  The  lamentable  expe- 
rience of  the  mission  showing  that  in  deaths 
and  retirements  three  men  on  an  average  had 
been  lost  yearly,  caused  the  directors  to  recom- 
mend their  missionaries  in  1887  to  erect  a  set- 
tlement at  Fwambo,  a  reputed  healthy  spot,  at 
considerable  elevation.  During  1887  Mr.  Lea 
and  Dr.  Tomory  retired  and,  towards  the  end 
of  the  year  Fwambo  was  temporarily  forsaken 
by  the  missionaries,  with  the  exception  of  the 
Rev.  D.  P.  Jones,  owing  to  the  war  which  had 
broken  out  south-eastwards  between  the  half- 
caste  Arabs  and  the  Europeans,  at  Karonga. 
In  1888  Captain  and  Mrs.  Hore  returned  to 
England  and  Mr.  Swann,  accompanying  anoth- 
er contingent  of  missionaries,  was  appointed 
Captain  Hore's  successor  in  superintending  the 
marine  department  at  Kavala.  The  mission  at 
the  close  of  1888  had  a  sore  bereavement.  Mr. 
Brooks,  an  esteemed  co-worker  journeying  to 
the  coast  to  enjoy  a  well-earned  holiday,  was 
brutally  murdered  by  some  East  Coast  Arabs ; 


250  Lake  Tanganyika. 


the  poor  fellow  it  is  surmised  was  mistakenly 
identified  witli  the  Germans,  the  adversaries  of 
the  Arabs  at  that  period.  Agreeable  to  home 
instructions  Messrs.  Svvann  and  Carson  next 
fixed  upon  Kinyamkolo  as  a  suitable  harbour 
and  new  marine  headquarters  at  the  south-end 
of  the  Lake,  which  would  further  enable  the 
missionaries  in  the  vi.cinity  to  have  ready  access 
to  Fvvambo  for  health  sojourns.  Throughout 
1889-90  the  missionaries  were  shut  off  from 
the  civilised  world.  For  a  year  they  had  no 
home  letters  and  were  without  European  pro- 
visions except  those  which  the  African  Lakes 
Company  kindly  conveyed.  At  the  end  of  this 
isolation,  if  not  siege,  Mr.  Wright,  disabled' by 
sickness  was  obliged  to  leave  the  field.  Subse- 
quently the  mission  with  a  staff  of  nine  mis- 
sionaries, doctors,  artisan  auxiliaries,  and  mis- 
sionaries' wives  preserved  from  a  repetition  of 
many  of  its  calamities  in  bygone  years  has  the 
promise  of  expansion  and  fruitfulness. 

At  Urambo,  Kinyamkolo,  and  Fvvambo,  the 
native  languages  are  being  mastered,  first  trans- 
lations made,  schools  opened,  Sunday  services 


Lake  Tanganyika. 


conducted,  and  domestic  and  industrial  train- 
ing provided.  If  these  are  not  on  an  extensive 
scale  or  systematic  in  form  the  peculiarities  of 
the  situation  are  responsible.  Commenting  on 
this  feature  the  Rev.  D.  P.  Jones  says  that 
every  missionary  in  the  Central  African  Mis- 
sion has  to  attend  to  many  kinds  of  work 
other  than  that  for  which  he  is  specially  sent 
out,  becoming  teacher,  carpenter,  labourer,  and 
even  cook  and  housekeeper  by  turns.  The  be- 
ginnings of  the  break  up  of  savage  and  furious 
despotism  are  noticed  by  the  missionaries.  Al- 
ready the  permanent  settlements  of  white  men 
are  producing  beneficial  results  for  tribes  so 
long  scattered  and  peeled  by  the  Arabs  and  by 
native  marauders  from  the  south  and  west.  In 
the  neighbourhood  of  Englishmen  the  natives 
crave  for  protection  and  feel  that  they  have  it, 
as  evidenced  by  the  satisfactory  progress  of  the 
Society's  work  at  the  marine  station  of  Kinya- 
mkolo  where  a  village  of  400  people  had  been 
formed,  natives  who  v/ere  constantly  under  the 
influence  of  missionary  teachers. 

To-day  the  Central  African  Mission  has  every 


252 


Lake  Tanganyika. 


appearance  of  being  thoroughly  established  and 
with  reasonable  expectation  of  enduring  and 
successful  advance.  Operations  for  the  present 
are  limited  to  Urambo  and  the  stations  at  the 
south  end  of  the  lake.  So  large  and  encourag- 
ing are  the  openings  for  a  crusade  among  the 
tribes  to  the  south  and  south-west  of  Tanga- 
nyika  that  they  will  more  than  occupy  the 
forces  at  the  Society's  command.  Running  the 
gauntlet  of  fiery  ordeals,  enduring  the  hard- 
ships of  perilous  travel,  surmounting  obstacles 
of  transit  and  malarious  climates,  penetrating 
regions  untrodden  by  Europeans,  and  winning 
the  confidence  of  a  widening  circle  of  natives 
on  the  route  to  the  Lake,  or  inhabiting  its 
shores,  the  missionaries  of  God  hear  over  Ta- 
nganyika-land the  strains  of  music,  broken  they 
may  be,  of  the  prelude  : — 

"  For  that  great  harmony,  whose  op'ning  chords 
Shall  usher  in  the  glorious  coming  of 
The  Prince  of  Peace." 

Slavery  yet  prevails  in  the  interior  of  Africa. 
In  helpless  captivity  lie  thousands  of  negroes 
crying  for  strong,  humane  redress.    It  cannot 


Lake  Tanganyika. 


253 


be  that  the  shivc-huntcrs  of  the  African  Con- 
tinent, regardless  of  the  rights  of  humanity, 
will  much  longer  be  tolerated  to  pursue  their 
hideously  atrocious  deeds  unchallenged.  Of 
the  slave  raider's  tactics  in  the  territories  bor- 
dering on  Lake  Tanganyika  Mr.  Stanley  gave  a 
graphic  narration  in  June,  1890,  before  the 
Manchester  Chamber  of  Commerce,  England, 
A  thousand  hired  marauders  each  armed  with 
a  gun  would  march  in  three  separate  direc- 
tions, "and  having  secured  an  area  of  50,000 
square  miles  they  planted  their  flag  in  the 
centre  of  a  village  where  there  was  a  good  sup- 
ply of  food,  and  here  they  were  for  three  or 
six  months.  Then  they  began  to  slay  in  the 
most  remorseless  and  cruel  fashion  everything 
having  the  semblance  of  humanity,  in  order  to 
pick  up  what  loot  they  could.  The  bananas 
were  cut  down,  and  men,  women,  and  children 
destroyed.  They  slaughtered  entire  popula- 
tions in  these  regions.  The  elephants  came 
and  completed  the  waste  of  the  plantations 
which  once  nourished  large  jDopulations." 
Upon  this  portraiture  a  frightfully  realistic 


254 


Lake  Tanganyika. 


commentary,  possibly  being  enacted  at  the 
time  Mr.  Stanley  was  speaking,  was  published 
in  December,  1891,  in  Europe,  through  the  in- 
strumentality of  that  grand  organisation,  the 
African  Society  at  Cologne. 

From  the  diaries  of  several  resident  mission- 
aries Canon  Kespes  transcribed  information 
relative  to  slave-hunting  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  Lake  Tanganyika.  Under  date  of  Novcm-  * 
ber  19.  1890,  after  a  reference  to  the  arrival  of 
Makatubo,  a  villainous  hunter,  with  a  long  pro- 
cession of  slaves  at  Kirando,  two  days'  journey 
south  of  Karcma,  in  the  German  sphere  of  in- 
fluence and  the  departure  of  Father  Dromaux 
to  the  spot,  the  diary  of  date,  November  28, 
continues: 

"  Father  Dromaux  has  just  returned.  He  succeeded 
in  liberating  or  buying  sixty-one  prisoners.  A  great 
number  of  their  unfortunate  companions  liave  died  of 
hunger  at  Kirando,  and  a  great  many  more  will  prob- 
ably soon  follow  them.  The  missionary  received — 
partly  from  the  slaves  whom  he  had  freed,  and  partly 
from  people  of  the  expedition — frightful  detail?  of  the 
cruelties  inflicted  by  Makatubo's  wild  hordes.  During 
the  marauding  expeditions  in  Marungu  and  Kizabi  in- 
numerable natives  were  killed.    When  Makatubo  set 


Lake  Tanganyika. 


255 


out  on  his  march  back  he  wished  to  get  rid  of  all  those 
who  might  have  impeded  the  march;  and  at  Lusuko, 
therefore,  he  had  a  great  number  of  captives,  old 
women  and  little  children,  drowned.  The  caravan  was 
now  to  advance  with  greater  haste.  But  a  large  num- 
ber of  captives  who  were  completely  exhausted  formed 
a  fresh  hindrance.  Massacres,  of  which  one  can  form 
no  idea  in  Europe,  followed.  An  eyewitness  assured 
us  that  daily  ten,  twenty,  thirty,  and  even  fifty  were 
killed.  In  spite  of  this  about  2,000  captured  slaves 
arrived  at  Kirando." 

This  tale  of  horrors  is  confirmed  by  reports 
from  a  missionary  at  the  mission  station  of 
Mpala  on  the  western  shore  of  Tanganyika 
bearing  an  earlier  date,  Sept.  8,  1890,  in  which 
it  is  said  that  a  Mestizo  who  made  a  desert 
country  westwards'had,  w  ith  the  aid  of  brigands 
from  the  neighbourhood  of  Karema,  caught  in 
l8go  nearly  2,000  slaves,  hundreds  besides  hav- 
ing been  captured  and  slain,  and  the  villages 
burnt.  Another  letter  of  date  Jan.  9,  from 
Karema,  written  by  Father  Josset,  states 

"that  a  notorious  slave-hunter  named  Makatubo  in 
Kirando  had  brought  from  his  last  expedition  no  less 
than  two  thousand  slaves  of  every  age  and  sex.  They 
were  chained  together  in  groups  of  twenty  to  twenty- 
five,  and  looked  like  living  skeletons.  As  there  was  a 
great  scarcity  of  food  in  Kirando,  they  were  forced  to 


256 


Lake  Tanganyika. 


dig  up  and  eat  wild  roots  which  wild  animals  refused 
to  touch.  Wasted  away  by  hunger,  fever  and  dysen- 
tery, they  were  sheltered  in  huts  which  afford  no  pro- 
tection whatever  against  the  weather.  Father  Dro- 
ma'ix  told  the  writer  that  he  had  seen  prisoners  in  a 
roofless  hut ;  whilst  next  to  it  their  master's  goats  had 
a  roof  over  their  heads.  Every  morning  corpses  were 
dragged  out  of  each  hut  and  thrown  to  the  hyaenas. 
During  the  long  march  through  Marungu  when  a 
slave  was  too  exhausted  to  follow  the  caravan  they 
killed  him  with  cudgels." 

These  heart-rending  accounts  make  it  very 
palpable  that  the  thousands  of  poor  wretches, 
many  of  them  women  and  young  children  hap- 
pening to  survive  the  journey  across  the  desert 
with  the  "slave  fork"  lashed  to  their  necks, 
are  fewer  in  number  than  those  who  perish  on 
their  way  to  the  coast.  A  letter  which  reached 
London  via  Berlin  on  March  26,  1892,  gave 
fresh  and  graphic  particulars  regarding  the 
hunt  for  slaves  on  Lake  Tanganyika.  The 
African  traveller  Herr  Curt  Ehlers  at  Zanzibar 
stated  that  the  Portuguese  travellers  Senhores 
Diego  Carmago  and  Peretz  Elbo  some  weeks 
ago  arrived  in  their  boat  at  Bikari  on  the  north- 
eastern shore  of  the  lake,  where  they  learned 


Lake  Tanga7tyika.  257 


that  the  notorious  slave-hunter  Makatubo,  from 
Kirando,  had  just  gone  on  with  a  large  num- 
ber of  boats  to  Mugo.  There  on  the  following 
day  the  weekly  market  was  to  be  held,  and  at- 
tended by  the  natives  of  the  whole  surrounding 
country.  Expecting  some  evil,  the  Portuguese 
travellers  followed,  but  on  arriving  at  Mugo 
were  told  that  the  small  flotilla  of  the  slave- 
hunter  had  gone  on  further,  leaving  only  one 
boat  there.  Senhor  Carmago  was  not  deceived, 
however.  He  bought  some  provisions,  and 
pretending  to  sail  off,  lay  hidden  for  the  whole 
night  in  a  small  bay.  At  dawn  he  sent  a  boy  to 
Mugo,  who  brought  back  news  that  the  village 
had  been  attacked  by  the  slave-hunters.  Im- 
mediately, Senhor  Carmago  weighed  anchor, 
and  the  little  crew,  with  24  rifles,  prepared  the 
vessel  for  a  fight.  Upon  their  arrival  opposite 
the  village,  the  embarkation  of  the  captured 
victims,  numbering  about  1,500,  mostly  women, 
was  just  about  to  begin.  The  slave-hunters  at 
first  looked  likely  to  fight,  but  a  grenade  fired 
over  their  heads  from  the  boat  produced  such 
a  panic  amongst  Makatubo's  men  that  they 


Lake  Tanganyika. 


took  to  their  heels  and  rushed  to  the  boats 
without  troubhng  themselves  about  their  leader, 
much  less  about  their  booty.  Several  volleys 
were  fired  into  the  crowded  boats.  Many  tried 
to  save  themselves  by  leaping  into  the  lake  and 
swimming  to  the  shore.  The  inhabitants  of 
Mugo,  however,  encouraged  by  Senhor  Carma- 
go's  intervention,  resolutely  assailed  the  Arabs, 
and  scarcely  any  of  tliem  escaped  alive. 

Another  communication  which  Emin  Pasha 
forwarded  to  his  friend  Dr.  Fritz  Finsch  adds 
to  the  ghastliness  of  the  outrages  committed 
by  the  slave-marauding  Arabs  on  the  native 
tribes. 

"  North  of  Usongoro  between  the  Gordon  Bennett 
and  Ruwenzori  mountains,"  wrote  Emin,  "the  Arab 
slave-raiders  have  had  a  terrible  harvest.  The  Wa- 
ganda  people  are  their  instigators  here,  just  as  the 
Wagala,  Wabende,  and  the  Wasissa  on  Lake  Tanga- 
nyika. I  have  I'.eard  and  seen  terrible  things  on  my 
way  to  the  Albert  lake.  I  followed  the  traces  of  one 
of  these  robbers,  Omar  Ben  Chalid,  for  six  dajs,  and 
CDuntcd  fifty-one  fresh  corpses  emaciated  to  the  bone. 
Thirty-nine  of  the  victims  had  their  skulls  shattered. 
Twelve  hundred  persons  are  said  to  have  been  drag- 
ged to  Mengo,  there  being  twenty  to  thirty  negroes  of 
citlicr  se::  bound  to  each  chain.  Twenty-seven,  includ- 


Lake  Tanganyika. 


259 


ing  four  women,  who  had  succeeded  in  escaping,  met 
us  half  dead  with  hunger." 

So  far  was  it  from  being  true  that  slavery  was 
ended  that  provinces  in  Africa  densely  popu- 
lated fifteen  years  ago,  were  to-day  desert 
places,  the  defenceless  natives  having  been  car- 
ried off  under  conditions  too  loathsome  for  de- 
scription. Such  disclosures  give  significance  to 
Lord  Brougham's  words  spoken  years  back 
that  the  slave  trade  should  be  made  piracy,  as 
the  only  way  of  dealing  effectually  with  the 
abomination.  The  opinion  of  Sir  William 
Mackinnon  expressed  in  1890  respecting  the 
degradation  of  the  native  races  of  Africa 
by  the  sale  of  spirituous  liquors,  and  their 
destruction  by  the  supply  of  guns  and  ammu- 
nition to  the  slave-hunters,  ought  to  be  laid 
deeply  to  heart  by  friends  of  the  African. 
Says  Sir  William,  "  It  is  evident,  that  the 
initial  and  most  essential  step  towards  the  re- 
generation and  protection  of  the  native  is  the 
absolute  prohibition  of  all  trade  in  these  agen- 
cies of  destruction."  Upon  this  question  it  is 
surprising  to  note  that  in  view  of  Germany's 


26o 


Lake  Tanganyika. 


relation  to  the  Brussels  Act,  certain  reported 
transactions  on  her  part  are  a  direct  viola- 
tion of  the  Treaty.  The  London  Times  of 
March,  1892,  had  an  extraordinary  statement 
based  on  a  letter  written  by  Captain  Stairs 
from  Lake  Tanganyika  stating,  "  Unfortu- 
nately, he  found  the  country  flooded  with  gun- 
powder. It  is  imported  into  East  Africa  by 
the  Arabs  in  enormous  quantities  with  the 
written  sanction  of  the  German  ofificials,  and  is 
used  mainly  in  slave  raiding  and  ivory  steal- 
ing," It  is  scarcely  credible  that  the  murder- 
ous import  is  allowed  with  the  sanction  of  the 
German  Government  in  any  of  the  provinces 
which  fly  the  German  flag. 

Lurid  as  the  foregoing  sketches  of  slavery 
will  be  regarded  indications  are  not  wanting 
that  the  rescue  of  the  negro  from  his  present 
misery  is  being  attempted  on  a  scale  not  pre- 
viously exhibited.  Captain  Lugard  in  Uganda 
and  Commissioner  Johnston  in  Nyasa-land  are 
resisting  by  force  the  slave  invasions  of  the 
Arab  traders,  and  in  the  kingdom  of  Uganda 
the  first  mission  of  the  Anti-Slavery  League 


Lake  Tanganyika. 


261 


has  found  a  home  and  already  it  has  begun  to 
make  itself  feared.  Captain  Stairs,  the  leader 
of  an  expedition  of  1,500  men,  organised  by 
the  Congo  State  in  the  interests  of  that  State 
and  the  exploration  of  Katanga  and,  indirectly 
the  suppression  of  slavery  had,  according  to  a 
message  received  in  Brussels  on  March  10,  1892, 
reached  Lake  Tanganyika,  and  forthwith  dis- 
banded gangs  of  Arabs  collected  there  for  the 
purpose  of  making  raids  on  the  surrounding 
country.  The  extremely  critical  situation  in 
1 891  on  the  eastern  shores  is  becoming  less 
strained  and  unsettled.  About  the  same  time 
Captain  Hinck,  following  the  course 'of  •  the 
Congo,  arrived  on  the  west  shore  of  Lake 
Tanganyika  charged  with  an  expedition  for 
crushing  the  slave  trade  in  Central  African 
territories,  dispersed  a  number  of  Arab  chiefs 
and  their  native  levies  who  were  preparing  to 
march  on  unprotected  villages.  Confirmatory 
of  these  tidings  comes  a  letter  from  a  member 
of  a  missionary  society  addressed  to  the  secre- 
tary of  the  Anti-Slavery  Society,  London,  dated 
Tanganyika,  August  31,  1891,  in  which  the 


262  Lake  Tanganyika. 


writer  supplements  his  remarks  on  the  mode 
of  hiring  slaves  at  Zanzibar  by  saying: — "Slav- 
ery is  doomed,  and  dying  fast.  Where  a  few 
years  ago  thousands  of  slaves  passed  my  door 
every  year  cn  route  for  the  coast,  now  they  are 
reduced  to  hundreds,  and  fast  becoming  a  non- 
paying  article  of  trade.  By  education  and 
trade  the  natives  here  are  fast  getting  to  that 
stage  when  men  look  around  and  claim  free- 
dom as  a  birthright  ;  and  this,  after  all,  is  the 
only  cure  for  slavery."  He  then  adds  :  "  As  I 
have  long  since  given  my  life  to  the  snapping 
of  the  cruel  chain  which  binds  my  fellows  in 
slavery,  I  could  not  refrain  from  writing." 
Changes  in  regard  to  this  horrible  system 
cannot  be  wrought  instantly  though  they 
will  assuredly  transcend  all  that  have  gone 
before. 

In  speeding  that  m.ost  humanizing  of  all  en- 
terprises, the  anti-slavery  cause,  which  Cardinal 
Lavigerie  in  Paris  declared  to  be  due  to  Prot- 
estant missionaries,  the  signs  of  the  times  in  the 
Dark  Continent  are  radiant  with  golden  hopes, 
Africa  shall  live  and  take  an  "  honourable  place 


Lake  Tanganyika. 


263 


in  history ! "  Under  the  wing  of  Christian 
Missions  represented  only  by  a  comparative 
handful  of  souls  of  heroic  mould,  peace,  good- 
will, self-helpfulness,  industry,  knowledge,  com- 
merce, government,  and  civilisation  have  been 
fostered  and  developed.  By  a  wonderful  de- 
votion to  duty  of  the  missionary  pioneers, 
light  has  been  diffused,  the  voice  of  justice 
heard,  the  freedom  of  humanity  proclaimed, 
and  African  brotherhood  crowned.  Notable 
conquests  have  been  written  across  the  face 
of  Africa  and  on  her  shores  magnificent  feats 
of  gallantry  have  been  performed  in  the  en- 
deavour to  unveil  her  secrets  and  to  redeem  her 
fettered  sons  and  daughters.  The  past,  so 
marvellous,  is  the  promise  of  a  great  to-mor- 
row for  the  consummation  of  which  an  illus- 
trious roll  of  explorers  and  missionaries  sum- 
mon all  nations  in  the  ringing  notes  of  a  holy 
martial  song  of  other  days  : 

"  Here's  a  work  of  God  half  done, 
Here's  the  kingdom  of  His  Son, 
With  its  triumph  just  begun, 
Put  it  through  ! 


264  Lake  Tanganyika. 

"  For  the  birthright  yet  unsold, 
For  the  history  yet  untold, 
For  the  future  yet  unrolled. 
Put  it  through ! 

"  'Tis  to  you  the  trust  is  given, 
'Tis  by  you  the  bolt  is  driv  en, 
By  the  very  God  of  Heaven, 
Put  it  through  ! " 


Date  Due 

1  

